We are about nine months away from President Obama’s last day in office. Since 2008, the leader of the free world has been a black man. Think about that for a minute. If you were alive thirty or forty years ago, did you think something like this was possible in your lifetime? If you weren’t born yet or too young to have any memories of this time period, ask your parents or grandparents, if you are still fortunate to have them in your lives.
As the President’s time in office draws to a close there is much speculation regarding what he and Michelle will do next. It has already been announced they will remain in D.C. until youngest daughter Sasha graduates from high school (she will be a sophomore at the end of his presidency). After running the United States full-time for the past eight years, he is overqualified for just about every position imaginable.
In a recent article in The New Yorker, Cinque Henderson wonders whether teaching may not be the President’s best option when he leaves office. Henderson offers:
The third place Obama could teach is perhaps the most improbable, but the one I hope he most strongly considers. I think Obama should teach, for one year, for even just part of the time, in an inner-city K-12 public school. A single course in U.S. government for high-school seniors would suit him well.
Obviously, “best option” infers best opportunity for significant post presidential impact. I think there is certainly something to that. No doubt the President’s impact on this country while in office was very significant and will be realized and recorded in the history books for all time. But, this is a man that started as a community activist and cares deeply about the lives of inner city residents, particularly its youth. Henderson writes:
As he closes out his term, the President is increasingly talking about how to remedy the savage inequalities of race and class, about shortening the climb between the bottom and top rungs of American society.
Wouldn’t that be something? President Obama serving as a Political Science or AP U.S. History teacher at an inner city D.C., Maryland or Virginia high school. It would be a tremendous boost both for the students and the teachers, who may be experiencing a lack of faith in the current educational system.
Of course this is highly speculative and in many ways very unlikely for all of the obvious reasons. But, just as implausible as it was 30 or 40 years ago to imagine a black man as the President of the United States and leader of the free world, it became a reality. The President as an inner city teacher in his first job post presidency is possible too.
