Obama open to school vouchers

Published: 02/19/2008

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) says he is open to the idea of school vouchers if research shows they work.

"If there was any argument for vouchers, it was, 'Let's see if the experiment works,'" said Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate. "And if it does, whatever my preconception, you do what's best for kids."

Obama describes himself as a "skeptic" of vouchers, but his openness to contrary evidence was seen by many as the closest a Democratic candidate ever has come to embracing school vouchers.

Orthodox Jewish organizations typically support vouchers, which allow parents to use public money for day-school or yeshiva education. Liberal religious movements generally oppose them

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