Obama: My kids can handle winter weather, why can't DC?

So, President Obama, you think DC schools can’t handle ice?

At a photo op before his meeting Wednesday morning with business leaders, he joked about how DC schools can’t handle wintry weather, according to a press pool report. Think again, Mr. President. Unlike the surrounding jurisdictions, which closed schools because of icy conditions, DC public schools were open for business, after a two-hour delay.

But Obama’s children, who attend the private Sidwell Friends, didn’t have school.

“My children’s school was canceled today, because of what? Some ice?” he said to laughter, according to an unofficial transcript of his remarks provided by Jon Ward of the Washington Times. “As my children pointed out, in Chicago, school is never canceled,” and kids even go out for recess on snow days, he added, to more laughter.

Well, needless to say, if he and his wife had chosen to send their children to a public DC elementary school (of which there are several fine choices, despite the overall system’s terrible reputation), Malia and Sasha would have gone to school today. And maybe they would have even had outdoor recess.

To be fair to Sidwell, we should note that its lower school (where Sasha goes) is located in Bethesda, Maryland, where the driving conditions were worse than in the District of Columbia Wednesday morning. The middle school (where Malia goes) and upper school are in DC. Sidwell, presumably, makes one blanket decision on closings for both campuses. The school could not be reached for comment.