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Politics K-12 kept watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: Federal, States.

School Choice & Charters

Obama’s “Outspoken” Opposition to Vouchers

By Michele McNeil — March 03, 2008 1 min read
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Last month, I wrote about how Ohio teachers sent a letter to Sen. Barack Obama, seeking clarification from the Democratic presidential hopeful on his stance on vouchers.

Well, the Ohio Federation of Teachers got a response, and just in the knick of time, since the pivotal Ohio primary is tomorrow.

What prompted Ohio teachers to write to Obama was a dust-up over his statements to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in the run-up to the Wisconsin primary in which he suggested he might change his mind on vouchers if research backs it up, and if it’s what’s best for kids. Ohio has a publicly funded voucher program for students in Cleveland’s school district that’s similar to one in Milwaukee.

In his letter to the Ohio teachers dated Feb. 29, Obama blames a “misleading” article for causing the commotion, but it’s hard to blame the paper when you’re on video saying that you might reconsider your position on vouchers under certain circumstances.

Obama says he’s consistently been an “outspoken” opponent of vouchers. But the Ohio teachers’ group told me they’re not yet convinced.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Politics K-12 blog.