# In light of the pandemic's effect on schools is it appropriate to discuss Barron Trump now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 14, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268 "2020-07-14T01:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/41 "2020-08-01T08:32:18Z")
Look, the Trump issue is not about sending his son to private school. All the presidents who had school-age children while in office sent their children to private schools. There’s nothing wrong with Trump doing so. There’s nothing wrong with the president’s children–_any_ president-- buying his children nice clothes while poor kids wear cheap ones or sending his kids to college when some kids can’t go. The question here is for Trump, not his son, and it’s not about anything remotely personal. Barron Trump has had more privacy and less attention from the press than most presidents’ children. That’s great. Nobody’s suggesting that shouldn’t continue to be the case. With millions of parents struggling with the issue of school closures and the President saying schools should open, asking about St. Andrew’s school deciding not to open is a relevant question. I don’t know why you have a bee in your bonnet about this. Let it go. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/42 "2020-08-01T10:40:07Z")
> [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > Here’s the question being proposed: > > “Mr Trump, you are proposing throwing all the children in the country into a wood chipper. You have a child. If you successfully get wood chippers authorized, are you planning to throw your own child into the wood chipper?” > > Mr. Obama, why do the poor children of Washington DC get sent to crappy public schools ( the wood chipper) while you send your children to private the Sidwell Academy? > > I thought it was inappropriate to bring up Obama’s kids then. And i think it’s inappropriate to bring up Trumps kids now. And there’s nothing wrong with that question. It fits your requirements: that we talk about the behavior of the president, and not of his children. And this was a question that was asked of Obama. “If the public schools of Washington are so good, why do you send your own children to private schools?” And we got an answer, because it’s not inappropriate. The answer is that children of presidents need extra protection as they are put at risk due to their parent’s job. They may wind up harmed to influence the president. It’s easier to do that in a smaller school. Plus, saying public schools are good isn’t the same thing as saying private schools are bad. Both serve a purpose. Private schools are often specialized, while public schools are general. However, none of this is relevant here, because the question isn’t “Why, Mr. Trump, do you send your kid to private school?” It’s “If it’s safe to reopen schools, why do you keep your son at home?” Like I said, there’s not even any reason to mention the kids’ name, or know anything about him to ask the question. It’s entirely, 100% about Trump and what he chooses to do. No amount of applying a rule that doesn’t fit is going to keep us from criticizing Trump for pushing schools to open when (we can tell by his actions that) he knows that they’re unsafe. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/43 "2020-08-01T18:52:28Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Look, the Trump issue is not about sending his son to private school. All the presidents who had school-age children while in office sent their children to private schools… Not so: [Amy Carter - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Carter) ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/44 "2020-08-01T19:01:43Z")
I _knew_ I was forgetting one. Thanks! However, the point still stands. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/45 "2020-08-01T19:26:04Z")
Minor children of the President, whoever that might be at the time, should not have their name dragged into their parents politics. Besides having to deal with the trappings of wealth/power, they are at least vaguely aware that 1/2 the country thinks their parent is Evil incarnate. On top of that, now they, as an awkward teenager, have to deal with the fact that their school or whether or not they go to school is somehow part of their parent’s evilness. You don’t think Barron has a smartphone? Googles himself. Scans Meme websites and sees the photo of himself wearing the “the expert” t-shirt and all the jokes about that. It is entirely possible to discuss Trump’s ill advised plan to open schools without dragging his kid into it. And it’s entirely possible to discuss the disparity between rich kids going to private schools and the rest of us going to public schools with dragging Obama’s kids into. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/46 "2020-08-01T19:31:25Z")
So entire relevant topics pertinent to the entire country (such as trying to force American schools to remain open in a pandemic) are off-limits because Barron might hear about it? Sorry, doesn’t work that way. Trump should be exposed as a hypocrite. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/47 "2020-08-01T19:36:26Z")
No, you can discuss Trump’s plan to force America’s schools to open in a pandemic. Just leave Barron out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/48 "2020-08-01T19:46:31Z")
And while Sasha and Malia going to the Sidwell School might have been some fodder for the “Obama is a hypocrite” crowd. People mostly left it alone. There are probably Secret Service issues and the like that the the Sidwell School is a better place for the presidents child to be enrolled at. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/49 "2020-08-01T20:19:48Z")
Obama was not trying to mandatorily force it on the entire nation. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/50 "2020-08-01T20:22:55Z")
Then discuss that. Not Barron ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/51 "2020-08-02T00:55:22Z")
Agreed. Several of us have said that several times. No more ‘what about…?’. Leave all children out of it, minor or adult. Don Jr. and Ivanka are an exception to this rule since they have thrust themselves into official White House business. No holds barred on them. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/52 "2020-08-02T00:56:56Z")
How about Tiffany? ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/53 "2020-08-02T01:03:45Z")
Tiffany? She is off limits too since she is not trying to exert any influence or decision making power in the White House. She does not have to answer for her father or her siblings actively chowing down at the federal trough. Ex-wives, perhaps even Melania should be cut slack too, at least give them the benefit of the doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/54 "2020-08-02T01:16:05Z")
She does want to be best, after all, Melania does. But Tiffany? She’s not a minor. I suspect she knows something about Trump’s dark side, like niece Mary does. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/55 "2020-08-02T01:30:20Z")
Yes, Tiffany is an adult but she has stayed clear and isn’t trying to grab at the golden rings. She hasn’t brought any scrutiny onto herself by any conscious choices or actions as an adult. She doesn’t have to answer for her father nor do we have any right to subject her to any invasions of privacy. I would draw the line at commenting on the stylishness of whatever gown she might wear to a White House. Commenting, not cattiness. Indeed, she does know all about her father’s dark side side. That doesn’t mean we get to pick at the scabs that leaves. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/56 "2020-08-03T20:58:36Z")
Again, the proposal is not to discuss Barron. The proposal is to discuss Barron’s father (you may have heard of him) and whether he’s being a blazing hypocrite by keeping his own (unnamed) child(ren) safe while trying to kill everybody else’s kids. It’s entirely possible to bring up the hypocracy without discussing Barron’s shoe size. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/57 "2020-08-03T21:04:41Z")
Particularly when he’s threatening to withhold federal funds from them (or the states) if they don’t fully reopen. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/58 "2020-08-04T19:18:36Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > his own (unnamed) child(ren) safe Meaning Barron. Just like Obama’s unnamed children should not be dragged into a political debate about public schools and private schools and the quality of education the respective students get. One can have an intelligent discussion about the wisdom of forcing schools to open during a pandemic and that some schools/families have the financial resources to provide daycare/high speed wifi/hardware etc without saying, but Malia and Sasha got an IPAD!! ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/59 "2020-08-04T19:23:40Z")
The point of the question is to determine (and if so, expose) which of the following Trump is: 1. A person who genuinely thinks that it’s now safe to send children to school. 2. A person who is willing to knowingly and intentionally murder people for his own ends. Whether it’s intelligent to open the schools is another discussion which nobody can have with Trump because he’s a dumbfuck idiot who doesn’t know anything. The only reason to discuss anything at all with Trump is to determine how much of his damaging acts are ignorance and how much are deliberate. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Bacon\_Cheeseburger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Cheeseburger)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268/60 "2020-08-04T19:26:36Z")
I think you can have an intelligent conversation about that without bringing Barron into it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-light-of-the-pandemics-effect-on-schools-is-it-appropriate-to-discuss-barron-trump-now/915268.md?page=4)