Just realized all the presidents send their kids to Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Except Carter who sent his daughter to DCPS, and Trump who probably got rejected.

I wonder why that is? Is Sidwell really that head and shoulders above the rest?

Side note: GW’s daughters went to public school in Austin! (They graduated before he was elected). I think that’s awesome

[Anonymous]

I heard that the Obamas preferred GDS but the secret service asked them to chose Sidwell b/c they were already familiar with the school and knew how to work with it.

[Anonymous]

How is that all?

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh it’s not that many presidents that have even had school aged kids.

People here who are not that old remember that before Clinton, Sidwell was not that special or well known outside DC. Chelsea totally changed how people perceived it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard that the Obamas preferred GDS but the secret service asked them to chose Sidwell b/c they were already familiar with the school and knew how to work with it.

I don't have any insider information but based on what I know about USG bureaucracies which like to stick with what they know, this would not surprise me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except Carter who sent his daughter to DCPS, and Trump who probably got rejected.

I wonder why that is? Is Sidwell really that head and shoulders above the rest?

Side note: GW’s daughters went to public school in Austin! (They graduated before he was elected). I think that’s awesome

You are missing that there is a lot to be gained from having a consistent school that understands security protocol and that can work with the secret service and administration (regardless of who the president is). That’s it. Did well is a lovely school, but there is nothing to be taken away than this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Except Carter who sent his daughter to DCPS, and Trump who probably got rejected.

I wonder why that is? Is Sidwell really that head and shoulders above the rest?

Side note: GW’s daughters went to public school in Austin! (They graduated before he was elected). I think that’s awesome

You are missing that there is a lot to be gained from having a consistent school that understands security protocol and that can work with the secret service and administration (regardless of who the president is). That’s it. Did well is a lovely school, but there is nothing to be taken away than this.

I worked with the security folks at a well-known GSE that used to be located across the street from Sidwell. We had a regular drills and safety protocols in place in case something happened. It was an impressive partnership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard that the Obamas preferred GDS but the secret service asked them to chose Sidwell b/c they were already familiar with the school and knew how to work with it.

I recall this was reported in news stories at the time.

[Anonymous]

It’s the best coed private school in DC. But it’s also one the secret service like because it is an enclosed campus. NCS will probably never have another presidential daughter, at least not one who just moved to dc, because it’s impossible to close off the campus. A public road runs through campus and girls cross back and forth all day long to get to different classes.

[Anonymous]

Trump's kid was at St. Andrews Episcopal in Potomac (one of the "Big 15"?). He is now at Oxbridge Academy, a school in West Palm Beach founded by a member of the Koch family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I heard that the Obamas preferred GDS but the secret service asked them to chose Sidwell b/c they were already familiar with the school and knew how to work with it.

I recall this was reported in news stories at the time.

Really? Do you have a cite?

Obviously, security issues were important (eg, Biden's grandkids were at Sidwell) but where is the reporting that they preferred GDS?

https://www.nbcwashington.com/local/obama-family-chooses-sidwell-friends-school/1844476/

[Anonymous]

And Sidwell milks it for all they’re worth. How much of that $50k/yr is paying for reputation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my gosh it’s not that many presidents that have even had school aged kids.

People here who are not that old remember that before Clinton, Sidwell was not that special or well known outside DC. Chelsea totally changed how people perceived it.

It was still a "big 3" before Chelsea. But yes, it wasn't well known nationally.

[Anonymous]

It's just two presidents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's just two presidents.

Nixon too