N o w - H o l l y w o o d . b l o g s p o t .c o m

President-elect Barack Obama and wife Michelle have a big decision to make concerning their two daughters, Malia and Sasha. They must decide if their girls will attend a public or private school once they make the White House their new home. The decision has sparked great debate apparently, with people wondering what the new First Family will do?

Michelle Obama, on her recent visit to the White House, checked out two very prestigious private schools in Washington. Many think that the girls should go to a public school to show that Obama is standing by public school education, including Stephanie Mencimer, journalist and DC Public Schools' parent, who posted a letter online.

Mencimer said, "I think it really says we're all in this together. It's one thing to say I'm in favor of school reform, but I don't really want to be part of that with my own family. I think that it would give the schools an enormous boost."

All the discussion has brought the DC public schools into the national spotlight and Mayor Adrian Fenty has made it a big issue as well. He's improving a system that's received a failing report card for decades, plagued by under-performance and poor student achievement.

Lisa Caputo, former Clinton White House press secretary said, "As the first family you are going to want to work with the school the children attend to ensure that the school protects the children's privacy."

Can Malia, a fifth-grader, and Sasha, a second-grader, attend public school anyway? What about the security issue? They currently attend a private school in Chicago and perhaps private school in Washington would be more suited for them. Private schools are often attended by celebrity children, and politician's kids and the school may be more equipped to handle that.

Reporter Sally Quinn said, "I think that the girls will be happier in an environment where their classmates and their schoolmates will understand what they are going through. They will understand the whole idea of the celebrity, the media and the secret service in a way that most other schools wouldn't."

She has a point there. But president Jimmy Carter sent his daughter Amy (who was nine when the White House became her home) to DC Public School, so it's not like it's something that's out of the question. It'll be interesting to see what the Obama family ultimately decides.

What do you think? Should Malia and Sasha go to a public or private school?