Best Use for Obama’s Nobel Windfall? Save the 216
Posted October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm in Education 
Print This Post
According to the Fox News White House blog:
The White House says that the President has decided to give the approximately $1.4 million prize accompanying his Nobel Prize to charity. They have not made a decision on which charity or charities will receive the money.
Here’s an idea for the President: He could give the 216 low-income kids back the scholarships that his administration took away from them earlier this year.
On April 6th of this year, after Democrats in Congress voted to end the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent letters to 216 low-income D.C. families telling them that the federal government was rescinding the scholarship awards that the families had already been awarded earlier in the year.
Obama’s prize money could give $6,800 to each of these 216 children (the original voucher was worth $7,500). That amount would likely put each of the 216 well on their way to attending a safe and effective school. The average scholarship ends up being around $5,000.
President Obama and his administration are very familiar with the empowering benefits school choice brings to families struggling to educate their children. Growing up in Chicago, Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attended a private school. Growing up in Hawaii, President Obama attended a private school. Growing up first in Chicago, and now in Washington, Obama’s two daughters attended and still attend private schools.
In fact, two of Obama’s daughter’s classmates are able to attend Sidwell Friends thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
President Obama has a great opportunity to right a grave injustice he inflcited on 216 school children earlier this year. He should use his Nobel Prize money to give the same opportunity to 216 D.C. school children that he has already provided for his own daughters.
Visiting Fellow Virginia Walden Ford co-authored this post.
Author: 
22 Responses to “Best Use for Obama’s Nobel Windfall? Save the 216”
mark, florida on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
please forward this article directly to the president.
mark, florida on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
Maybe he (Obama) could be ‘NOBLE’ enough to right the wrong done to the 216 kids. His kids are being treated more than noble in private school. Like he and so many of his coleagues attended growing up. Give that money back to those kids for thier education!
Chas, TX on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
He should give he money back and tell the committee to use it for there own education. Apperently they missed a few grades. What a joke!
Col. Matt on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
I am glad that the Heritage Foundation posted something like this – the entire thing is a disaster and shameful.
Dennis Bando,Portland on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
It will probably be donated to H.I.P.P.O……Helping Illegal Progressive Pathetic Organizations…..(A.C.O.R.N) will probably be the first beneficiary…
James Ellison, Iowa on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
the heritage foundation did a great job with this one… i just hope the president will do the right thing with his coveted prize money
Earl, Queens, NY on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
What kind of an outfit is this Nobel committee? What is their criteria for awarding prizes? What has BHO achieved to get the peace prize? He’s the antithesis of Reagan and Bush, who liberated 100s of millions of people worldwide. BHO doesn’t appreciate the USA. He badmouths and apologizes for us worldwide. According to Rushlimbaugh.com (10/9/09), BHO is also getting the Nobel economic prize. What for? Maybe for lying? I.e., lying about millions of jobs saved or created by a fake $787 billion stimulus/porkulus bill, when in reality millions of jobs have been lost since BHO took office. What a joke!! BHO’s done more economic damage to this country in 8 months than any past president in 4 or 8 years!! What’s next? Maybe BHO will get the Nobel speech prize for his ability to speak without a teleprompter!! Insane, insane, insane!!
Ronald Court on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
BRAVO HERITAGE! Brilliant thinking (as always).
philip on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
A disgrace of the noble peace prize. Obama wins this prizeby going around the world like with the u.n. and Iran other rouge nations discreding and that we are apeople of fault and wrong doing giving the world this opion of american peoele is being atrader of the people and our country not one who deserves this pize u.n. has ben agianist the us we should get out of the u.n. STSAND UP FOR AMERICA
Cate , Ambler, PA on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
Maybe Obama should look at the list of nominees and select someone deserving of the honor. Looking at the list of winners over the last few decades, I’m not so sure it’s an honor.
roger duerr on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
Never happen, those 216 kids did not get enough publicity. Why not a press realease to all of talk radio!
phyllis, texas on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
This notation of mine will probably stun anyone who has seen my messages before, in particular the reviewers.
I think aside from whether mm mmm mm obama deserved the Nobel prize, you all should leave him alone about his kids going to private school.
The real aspect of being equal to what ever the country or other poor kids get, as in Univeral health care, the Obama family and members of congress should be forced to have the same health care pushed on us.
How much the Government would save if they closed tri-Care, I do not know. But that’s where equality would do the most for us accepting the so called REFORM.
Besides, Ms. Obama could always home school her two kids.Like the rest of some very smart women are doing to keep their kids out of stinking school eviroments.
Ps, also Ms Obama’s mamma should get for sure the same treatment as all the other senior citizens will be getting, with eugentics, cost effective treatment versus value of old lady surviving etc.
mmm mmm mmm Obama mmm mmm obama mmm mmm
Dean, Idaho on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
How much ridicule and failure can this one man(Obama) take before he goes crazy on someone or some people?
Jerry from Chicago on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
He should take the money and buy a spine.
Claire, Dallas, TX on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
0bama got the Nobel Prize for good intentions. I’m sure he /intends/ to give the money to charity, but like all his other promises, it just won’t happen.
Dave Gibbs, Grovetown, GA on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
Great job, Heritage! He SHOULD consider this! It might raise his ratings.
Edith Ring, Mt. Arlingto, NJ on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
The Nobel PEACE Prize speaks for itself. The honor and the prize should be for promoting PEACE. Therefore I nominate Greg Morton of CA who, with great personal danger, has opened more than 50 schools in Taliban/Al Queda infested Afganistan. Those boys and girls are now getting an education instead of learnig hatred and violence. What better way to promote PEACE!
R Morini New Hampshire on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
Perhaps he should take the rest of the stimulus money and put it all toward education and forget the stupid health care and Cap and Trade BS! These people need to stop worrying about spending my money!!! My kids (and most) struggle with their college loans, I would be happy if they put the remaining stimulus money toward paying those loans.
Maria, NC on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
The DC district should just reimplement the program. No brainer.
The Nobel money should go to a US veterans’ organization such as The Wounded Warrior Project, the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund, and/or the Soldiers’ Angel Network. They are the ones who earned the peace prize.
Donald R Hohman,Kentucky on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
I think giving it to Wounded Warriors or Golden Mother’s would be more ideal to a “Peace” award. Donald R Hohman CWO(Ret)USA POW
Linda Carlsbad, CA on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
I think he should turn down the award. It is against our Constitution for a President to take money from anyone! Anyway, this is a joke, unless he is getting the award for being anti-american!He probably will give the money to Acorn, SEIU or some habitat project in Chicago!
DAN MOFFATT NUTLEY,N.J. on October 9th, 2009 at 4:20pm said:
I HAVE THE PERFECT RECIPIENT FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS.PUT IT IN THE TREASURY,AND HE WOULD BE PAYING DOWN HIS NATIONAL DEBT.HE INCURRED IT,NOW HE SHOULD BE MADE TO FIX IT.