President Obama is a strong supporter of education reforms such as common core, VAM, and charter schools.  But even he draws the line when it comes to school vouchers.  Check out his thoughts on these programs in this interview with Bill O’Reilly on Fox News, conducted on Superbowl Sunday. You can watch the entire voucher exchange bellow, starting at 2:50.  Following the video is the transcript of the exchange from Fox News for those that want the text:

O’REILLY – Now, school vouchers is a way to level the playing field.  Why do you oppose school vouchers when it would give poor people a chance to go to better schools?

PRESIDENT OBAMA – Actually — every study that’s been done on school vouchers, Bill, says that it has very limited impact if any —

O’REILLY – Try it.

PRESIDENT OBAMA – Oh — it has been tried, it’s been tried in Milwaukee, it’s been tried right here in D.C. —

O’REILLY [OVERLAP] – And it worked here.

PRESIDENT OBAMA – No, actually, it didn’t. When you end up taking a look at it, it didn’t actually make that much of a difference. So what we have been supportive of is, uh, something called charters. Which, within the public school system gives the opportunity for creative experiments by teachers, by principals to, to start schools that have a different approach. And —

O’REILLY [OVERLAP] – You would revisit that? I just think — I used be, teach in a Catholic school, and I just know —

PRESIDENT OBAMA [OVERLAP] – Bill — you know . . . I’ve taken a look at it. As a general proposition, vouchers has not significantly improved the performance of kids that are in these poorest communities —

Tennessee’s lawmakers have taken several cues from the President on education policy in recent years.  Lets hope they take this one as well.

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