Betsy DeVos says the traditional public education system a “dead end”.*
by David Miller, Publisher
Every local parent, elected official (including School Boards, City Council Members, and Township Trustees and their hired Administrators) owe it to the community to watch the confirmation hearings (below) for President-Elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the next Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.
The hearing before the Senate Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions Committee was held Tuesday.
Watch the questions asked by the Senators, and listen to her answers with blinders of party or ideology to see that she has nothing to offer our children, and teachers within our public education system. Parents who are affluent enough and have chosen to send their children to private schools already realize the value of strong public schools in their community. You must understand that DeVos’ hostility and non-advocacy in regard to strong local public school districts is dismaying.
A reminder of an obvious fact
To the elected and appointed officials in the community, you already understand the economic and social value of excellent and thriving public schools within your community. You should look at DeVos with the blinders of party loyalty or ideology to evaluate the damage she can do with her agenda that will harm us locally.
Perhaps no other nomination for a cabinet position will so affect us at a local level more than this pick for Secretary of Education. Perhaps, not even Trump’s pick for health and human services secretary Tom Price, who will dismantle the Affordable Care Act, will have such an impact to our community.
During the hearing, DeVos:
- Would not promise not to privatize or strip funding from the public schools.
- Said it would be “premature” for her to commit to upholding the Obama administration’s Title IX guidance on combating sexual assault in our schools.
- Failed to answer questions about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law guaranteeing an education to students with disabilities. She said it should be left to the States, not realizing it was Federal Law.
- Made it clear she will advocate Donald Trump’s advanced policy that will prevent local schools from implementing gun free zones.
Watch her answers to questions about whether she intends to advocate taking our tax dollars and divert them to private schools. Ask yourself whether we are willing and able to make up for the lost dollars when school districts put operating levies on the ballot. Ask what impact this will have on the local economy.
After watching, remember to keep those party loyalty and ideology blinders on — it is incumbent that, local teacher unions, City Councils, Board of Township Trustees, and especially our Boards of Education take a public stand by passing resolutions against this nominee and urging Senator Rob Portman to cast a NO vote when it reaches the full Senate.
Email Rob Portman
Phone Cincinnati Office: 513-684-3265
Phone Washington Office: 202-224-3353
Mail to Portman’s Washington Office:
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3353
Visit Rob Portman’s Cincinnati Office:
312 Walnut St.
Suite 3075
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: 513-684-3265
From C-Span:
Education Secretary Confirmation Hearing Betsy DeVos testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on her nomination by President-elect Trump to become his secretary of education. She answered questions about her plans for and thoughts on a wide range of issues including the nation’s public education system, charter schools, school choice and vouchers, post-secondary education, student loan debt, special education programs and funding, and her financial holdings and potential conflicts on interest.
* To Trump’s education pick, the U.S. public school system is a ‘dead end’
