Censored 2011: Is it Censored?

2. The specific results of your LEXIS NEXIS search for articles about your story - is this, in fact, a truly "censored" story? Provide us with as many links as you can to news coverage of this story in the U.S. and global press;

After searching on LEXIS NEXIS, I found that this story isn’t really censored, just sort of under the radar. Obama is a huge supporter of charter schools, regardless of the effects on the traditional public education and teachers unions. It’s the second part of that statement that, I suppose, could be considered “censored.” While it’s pretty public that he is a supporter, the effects his support (and his education chair, Arne Duncan’s support) has aren’t as well known. It isn’t talked about much anyways, considering the other big issues Obama is, or isn’t, dealing with.
One article , from the Christian Science Monitor, touched upon the arguments of teacher’s unions, but then dismissed them stating that “When charters show success, the unions argue it's because the schools skim off the most motivated kids (and their parents). A September study puts that argument to rest. The study examined New York City charter schools that determine admission by lottery.” This could either be just one example, shown to make it seem like the union’s arguments are void, or it could really be just one of many valid examples. It’s tricky to say, because I do know that the Christian Science Monitor is usually a fairly unbiased publication, but their single example is questionable, because charter schools are everywhere in the US, not just NYC.

Another article I found stated the parts of Obama’s education plan —the supposed “censored” parts. He has publically stated that his plan is to base teacher’s pay upon merit and student performance. Armed with “tens of billions of dollars,” to promote charter schools, and said that the Bush administration underfunded the education system. He also says he’ll use the money to support teachers—but the article then goes onto say the support will be based upon student/school performance.

Other short articles were about charter school funding, the downsides to Obama’s education plans, and a Washington Post article about what the president could/should do about education.