I cannot stand this nominee, however, I still wonder if woman hating makes,her easier to target than Bannon.
7
I watched with horror as Ms DeVos was being questioned on TV by members of Congress as to her worthiness of being named Secretary of Education. Her display of ignorance when it came to educational matters was matched only by her arrogance. She is apparently unaware of her poor record of screwing up Detroit's school system and seems to be constitutionally incapable of answering any question either "yes" or "no". She shouldn't be permitted to come withing a mile of any school let alone be named a Secretary of Education.
10
DeVos is an existential threat. She is the swamp Trump promised to drain. His supporters should be outraged. The fact that a well-connected billionaire can waltz into the White House ahead of the hundreds of thousands of teachers that have paid their dues, learning the system, suffering under the burden of low wages, neglectful parents, and harried administrators, is a stark, vivid illustration of the waning democracy middle America is grasping to hold to on to right now. This is the threat of a DeVos confirmation. It’s deeply psychological. It’s symbolic. It’s existential to the hope for democracy.
More here: https://medium.com/@iannorris/betsy-devos-an-existential-threat-e870d9bd...
More here: https://medium.com/@iannorris/betsy-devos-an-existential-threat-e870d9bd...
12
DeVos’s picture should appear under the dictionary definition of pay to play.
3
DeVos has contributed vast sums to most of the Republican senators who will be voting for her. Citizens in Pennsylvania and Arkansas are soliciting funds to buy the votes of Toomey and Cotton to oppose DeVos. See RMS tonite and GoFundMe website. Great idea. Raise more from the public to buy a vote against this danger to education than she gave to the senators to get their vote. Republican democracy in action. Buy the Congress you want.
2
While I am unequivocally opposed to Ms. DeVos's nomination given her atrocious committee testimony, I am dumbfounded that she is the "most jeered" as, to a person, ALL of Trump's nominees showed themselves categorically unfit for their respective posts.
CEO Tillerson whose business ties are diametrically opposed to diplomacy as our chief diplomat?
CEO Pudzer who flouted labor laws in business heading Labor?
Rep. Price who wrote a law that improved the value of a health company in which he invested, now leading HHS?
Rep. Zinke largely supported by the fossil fuel industry now in charge of 1/5 of the US landmass as head of Interior?
OK AG Scott Pruitt whose sued the EPA to get them stop protecting the environment instead of allowing unfettered oil/gas exploration, in charge of that agency?
And ... Rick Perry at Energy? Seriously? This is the worst sort of bad joke.
This was not the draining of a swamp, it was the construction of a shop of horrors.
CEO Tillerson whose business ties are diametrically opposed to diplomacy as our chief diplomat?
CEO Pudzer who flouted labor laws in business heading Labor?
Rep. Price who wrote a law that improved the value of a health company in which he invested, now leading HHS?
Rep. Zinke largely supported by the fossil fuel industry now in charge of 1/5 of the US landmass as head of Interior?
OK AG Scott Pruitt whose sued the EPA to get them stop protecting the environment instead of allowing unfettered oil/gas exploration, in charge of that agency?
And ... Rick Perry at Energy? Seriously? This is the worst sort of bad joke.
This was not the draining of a swamp, it was the construction of a shop of horrors.
7
The Arrogance of Ms. DeVos deciding she is owed a position based upon no other criteria except her Pocket-book and her idea of what is best for the lowly masses-is- well, sickening. Those willing to "give" it to her- are even more repulsive.
3
Well, there may be a need for having guns in schools, you might have a grizzly bear at the school. This from a person who wants to be the SOE. Pathetic that out of hundreds of extremely qualified and experienced people with outstanding credentials in education, we are shoved this extremely incompetent and bizarre women down our throats. Yes...Mr. President, you sure know the very best people in the business. Too bad education was never your business. Then again, what can you expect from one unqualified man selecting people...unqualified people too.
5
But, darn it all, Betsy bought her way into the Grabinet fair and square. It's not fair to deny her at this point. Really, who cares. Kids will make up the lower quality years with her at the helm by going to school longer during their college years. Yeah, that's it! She'll even loan them the money. Plus, she has a really nice house, or two, or three. Who's counting? Counting Betsy's Houses could be a new primary level math program. See, she is already making America great!
4
Left out of this article is that one of our local NYC educators, Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, has spent the month giving ringing endorsements of Betsy DeVos. Ms. Moskowitz has used her bully pulpit as leader of the NYC taxpayer-funded chain of charter schools to mount her own PR campaign for Betsy DeVos -- writing op eds and giving interviews declaring that DeVos is a terrific choice for children. And of course, praising (and normalizing) Donald Trump for coming up with such a great pick and demonstrating how much Trump cares about the most vulnerable children. Presumably the parents and teachers at Success Academy Charter Schools all agree since there has been nary a peep out of them.
The rest of us watch in astonishment knowing that John Paulson, one of Donald Trump's major funders, just happened to give Success Academy an $8.5 million dollar donation in the past. And no doubt he will do so again in the future as long as Eva Moskowitz continues to please him and other right wing Republican funders by loudly endorsing Donald Trump's picks no matter how bad they may be for children. And as long as the parents at Success Academy give their silent consent to be used to further the Trump agenda.
The rest of us watch in astonishment knowing that John Paulson, one of Donald Trump's major funders, just happened to give Success Academy an $8.5 million dollar donation in the past. And no doubt he will do so again in the future as long as Eva Moskowitz continues to please him and other right wing Republican funders by loudly endorsing Donald Trump's picks no matter how bad they may be for children. And as long as the parents at Success Academy give their silent consent to be used to further the Trump agenda.
5
They need someone like Ms. DeVos who will push textbooks that rewrite history, removing mention of evolution, slavery and the Holocaust from school curricula. Maybe even the moon landing. Only takes a few generations and they never happened. Fake news was nothing. Prepare for fake history.
9
US school systems, private and public, are notorious as some of the worst value and least effective in the world. Many state schools in India, Africa, PRC, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Finland do better on less money.
Schools school. They don't educate. Read John Holt and Ivan Illich. For example, I won a scholarship to what has been on and off one of the most expensive private schools in the world, where I won many prizes. Everything of any value that I learned. I taught myself in my own time.
Amway, whose ill-gotten gains DeVos has inherited, symbolises the emptiness and chicanery personified by Liar Trump. I learned much about Amway some decades back when some Double Diamonds tried to persuade me to join their ranks because of the overseas contacts they thought I would bring. I went to many meetings, did much research, asked too many of the wrong questions. I must be one of the few potential recruits finally rejected by the chief honchos after it dawned on them that I was never going to swallow their snake oil.
Like all pyramid schemes, Amway doesn't sell real products, if you exclude the Amway soap. Instead, it sells dreams and empty promises of getting rich quick to the gullible masses.
The same fraud is perpetrated by many American schools, private and non-private alike. The public school system in Hawaii is by the richest in the world, but like most US schools, its students fail to achieve very much despite the vast resources thrown at them.
Schools school. They don't educate. Read John Holt and Ivan Illich. For example, I won a scholarship to what has been on and off one of the most expensive private schools in the world, where I won many prizes. Everything of any value that I learned. I taught myself in my own time.
Amway, whose ill-gotten gains DeVos has inherited, symbolises the emptiness and chicanery personified by Liar Trump. I learned much about Amway some decades back when some Double Diamonds tried to persuade me to join their ranks because of the overseas contacts they thought I would bring. I went to many meetings, did much research, asked too many of the wrong questions. I must be one of the few potential recruits finally rejected by the chief honchos after it dawned on them that I was never going to swallow their snake oil.
Like all pyramid schemes, Amway doesn't sell real products, if you exclude the Amway soap. Instead, it sells dreams and empty promises of getting rich quick to the gullible masses.
The same fraud is perpetrated by many American schools, private and non-private alike. The public school system in Hawaii is by the richest in the world, but like most US schools, its students fail to achieve very much despite the vast resources thrown at them.
5
It is horrifying to this small country public school educated citizen that a person of this wealth and greed should be nominated and even possibly become Secretary of Education. Her record (that word carries, in her case an adjective as well) and her testimony indicate that she will put the destruction of public education as her priority if she has the post.
This country is the result of our once vigorous and appreciated public school system and the teachers who gave their all in sometimes very difficult conditions, to make it so.
Racism has reduced the stature of the public school teacher in the eyes of racist parents; the necessity to unionize in order not to be at the whims of hostile school boards has given teachers bad press. When public school teachers receive again the respect they deserve for what they do, the country will be greater.
No teacher (not forgetting that there are a few bad apples in every barrel)teaches for money. Teaching is an art form practiced by dedicated beings who communicate that dedication to their students.
Who taught you to love Shakespeare? Or a foreign language? For most Americans, it was a public school teacher.
This country is the result of our once vigorous and appreciated public school system and the teachers who gave their all in sometimes very difficult conditions, to make it so.
Racism has reduced the stature of the public school teacher in the eyes of racist parents; the necessity to unionize in order not to be at the whims of hostile school boards has given teachers bad press. When public school teachers receive again the respect they deserve for what they do, the country will be greater.
No teacher (not forgetting that there are a few bad apples in every barrel)teaches for money. Teaching is an art form practiced by dedicated beings who communicate that dedication to their students.
Who taught you to love Shakespeare? Or a foreign language? For most Americans, it was a public school teacher.
10
Having had a Great American Public Education is why I am writing hererin.
1) The Libertarian and some Republicans who took on the colors of the Tea Party in order to win want to kill the Department of Education, entirely. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and his father Ron Paul of Texas both I believe, have stated publicly that they think the Department of Education is a do nothing and worthless and money hog of a Department.
That stated, I believe that President Trump nomination of Mrs. DeVos is acting to satisfy not the upper class who pay into the system with their taxes but want vouchers for application to pay for their kids' private school education, but to appeal to the middle and lower class Libertarians who think that Federal tax dollars for education is a waste.
What is sinister about her is not her ignorance and lack of value of the prevailing education systems in the United States, funded largely by Federal, State and local taxes, but that President Trump fails to reveal, in other words he is concealing, is ulterior motive; to do away with the Department of Education altogether, and maybe privatize IT! NO WAY!
The people who voted for him that have kids and nephews and nieces preparing to go to college, WAKE UP!!!
1) The Libertarian and some Republicans who took on the colors of the Tea Party in order to win want to kill the Department of Education, entirely. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and his father Ron Paul of Texas both I believe, have stated publicly that they think the Department of Education is a do nothing and worthless and money hog of a Department.
That stated, I believe that President Trump nomination of Mrs. DeVos is acting to satisfy not the upper class who pay into the system with their taxes but want vouchers for application to pay for their kids' private school education, but to appeal to the middle and lower class Libertarians who think that Federal tax dollars for education is a waste.
What is sinister about her is not her ignorance and lack of value of the prevailing education systems in the United States, funded largely by Federal, State and local taxes, but that President Trump fails to reveal, in other words he is concealing, is ulterior motive; to do away with the Department of Education altogether, and maybe privatize IT! NO WAY!
The people who voted for him that have kids and nephews and nieces preparing to go to college, WAKE UP!!!
7
The support from Mrs. DeVos for charter schools is a euphemism. There is an irony at work here, in that an openly Islamophobic administration nominates for Secretary of Education a candidate that sees madrassas as an admirable model for import.
5
I have watched the NYT reporting on the DeVos nomination with interest... especially with the allegation that the charter schools in Michigan have no accountability and are "for profit".
The NYT seems to be relying on some opponents of school choice for so called facts about education in Michigan or has done some very flawed research.
All charter schools in Michigan are non-profit public schools. They are regulated by the laws of the State of Michigan and overseen by the chartering educational institution. In most cases the chartering institution is a university but in some cases it is a public school district. The Detroit Public School District is a chartering institution.
The NYT got it wrong (I won't say lied), when it concluded that charter schools in Michigan are't nonprofit in the following paragraph:
"Nationwide, most charter schools, including those in the best-known networks, like the KIPP schools, are nonprofit. But the opposite is true in Ms. DeVos’s home state, Michigan, where she has wielded great influence over education policy and beat back efforts to increase oversight of charter schools in Detroit."
Do your own fact checking and reporting. Leave the editorializing to the editorial page
The charter school program in Michigan is having a positive impact with choice and competition
For more information on Michigan charter schools see:
http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-6530_30334_40088---,00.html
The NYT seems to be relying on some opponents of school choice for so called facts about education in Michigan or has done some very flawed research.
All charter schools in Michigan are non-profit public schools. They are regulated by the laws of the State of Michigan and overseen by the chartering educational institution. In most cases the chartering institution is a university but in some cases it is a public school district. The Detroit Public School District is a chartering institution.
The NYT got it wrong (I won't say lied), when it concluded that charter schools in Michigan are't nonprofit in the following paragraph:
"Nationwide, most charter schools, including those in the best-known networks, like the KIPP schools, are nonprofit. But the opposite is true in Ms. DeVos’s home state, Michigan, where she has wielded great influence over education policy and beat back efforts to increase oversight of charter schools in Detroit."
Do your own fact checking and reporting. Leave the editorializing to the editorial page
The charter school program in Michigan is having a positive impact with choice and competition
For more information on Michigan charter schools see:
http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-6530_30334_40088---,00.html
3
Andy,
Perhaps you could fill us in on the pay structure for the administrators of these benevolent "non-profits" and the profit margins for the (very common) self-dealing of the administrators buying supplies from themselves for the poor students, or selling required uniforms, or any of a thousand other little scams that tax payer money is siphoned off in these "non-profit" schools. All of this is well documented. Devos even has interests in student loan companies. Talk about vertical integration!
Perhaps you could fill us in on the pay structure for the administrators of these benevolent "non-profits" and the profit margins for the (very common) self-dealing of the administrators buying supplies from themselves for the poor students, or selling required uniforms, or any of a thousand other little scams that tax payer money is siphoned off in these "non-profit" schools. All of this is well documented. Devos even has interests in student loan companies. Talk about vertical integration!
3
Historically awful choices deserve historically vocal opposition.
It's not *only* that DeVos has no experience with public schools - not even as a student or parent. It's also that she appears to be shockingly ignorant of education policy questions, less informed than a median public school parent. Worst of all, her own resume shows little hint of a love for learning or education, either formally or as a self-directed learner.
William Bennett, whatever you think of his policy preferences, had a Ph.D. and a law degree. Shirley Hufstedler was a highly distinguished judge with a degree from Stanford. Both were dramatically better qualified.
DeVos has a Bachelor's degree from Calvin College in Business. She has only attended religious schools. She's been funding lots of politics but doesn't seem to have experience actually running a significant organization. If she has a qualification other than being born rich, marrying richer, and in Trump's eyes, looking the part in photographs, then I don't know what it is.
It's not *only* that DeVos has no experience with public schools - not even as a student or parent. It's also that she appears to be shockingly ignorant of education policy questions, less informed than a median public school parent. Worst of all, her own resume shows little hint of a love for learning or education, either formally or as a self-directed learner.
William Bennett, whatever you think of his policy preferences, had a Ph.D. and a law degree. Shirley Hufstedler was a highly distinguished judge with a degree from Stanford. Both were dramatically better qualified.
DeVos has a Bachelor's degree from Calvin College in Business. She has only attended religious schools. She's been funding lots of politics but doesn't seem to have experience actually running a significant organization. If she has a qualification other than being born rich, marrying richer, and in Trump's eyes, looking the part in photographs, then I don't know what it is.
5
“There was a deference to the president and his ability to have his cabinet appointments, and an institutional respect in the Senate. That has evaporated.”
Gee, I wonder if refusing to even MEET with Obama's Supreme Court nominee has anything to do with this. Or perhaps the "institutional" respect of saying on day 1 of Obama's first administration that the number one priority of the Republicans in the Senate was to make sure he was a one-term President.
The Republicans KILLED respect for the President in the Senate and they can't be heard to complain now that it's dead.
Gee, I wonder if refusing to even MEET with Obama's Supreme Court nominee has anything to do with this. Or perhaps the "institutional" respect of saying on day 1 of Obama's first administration that the number one priority of the Republicans in the Senate was to make sure he was a one-term President.
The Republicans KILLED respect for the President in the Senate and they can't be heard to complain now that it's dead.
5
Pure and simple this is about someone unqualified - just listen to her own words. Why does this have to be turned into political motivation. If this were the private school charter she supports - would they hire her as school principal? Why should anyone think she should be Secretary of Education then - except for $200 million in donations (her admission!) and a post Trump obviously doesn't care about, we wouldn't be having this discourse.
6
Betsy DeVos is the Holland - Grand Rapids Michigan massacre on public education.
Another Trump disgrace.
How many Kellyanne Conway mistakes are okay?
How about - whoops - I didn't mean nuclear war with Iran?
I meant a new test ban.
Oh, well - they're just bodies - is that okay - you media always are so quick to judge.
Another Trump disgrace.
How many Kellyanne Conway mistakes are okay?
How about - whoops - I didn't mean nuclear war with Iran?
I meant a new test ban.
Oh, well - they're just bodies - is that okay - you media always are so quick to judge.
7
She's also a victim of the president who nominated her. There's not much deference to this president because he's so incompetent himself. Opposition to DeVos is not political theater; it's people believing that the education of our children is actually important and requires intelligent, thoughtful leadership. She does not embody those qualities. Undoubtedly there there are many Republican Senators who know that perfectly well; I hope one more of them will act on principle and vote her down. But I'm not holding my breath.
5
Sorry, but she's no victim, she knows fully well what she wants to do with the Dept. of Education. It involves the Atlantic Ocean and 50 tons of concrete.
1
I am not sure anyone is really cares about the education secretary. At this point it is just about hope by democrats that they can actually vote down one Trump Appointment. She wants to drastically change the US public education system and it makes politicians nervous. I have to say our K-12 education system is tough to not want to change in many locales. Expensive and ineffective can be improved.
2
She profits from the Neurocore company that she is a financial backer of. The 'product' is sold to parents through schools, and she won't be divesting herself of this asset. See any conflict of interest?
10
I've concluded that it doesn't matter whether DeVos, Puzder, Sessions or any of this dreadful lot is confirmed. The current occupant of the office of President will appoint someone as bad, or worse. One way or another, this appalling character must be removed. We can hope that his children may be the engine of his early exit because this grotesque spectacle is bad for their business.
4
This one will be won by the vote of Mike Pence. Just like the election was stolen by voter suppression and lies. Our kids will all be poorer for it. These so called charter schools are just another way to segregate our schools again. Betsy DeVos knows nothing of education or the fine work our public schools do. It's amazing what 200 million dollars will buy you. Too bad she didn't invest it public education.
1
Isn't it sad how a completely unqualified president can try to push an unqualified person to head the schools of the country. But wait ! Isn't that true of most of that nominees for his various positions ? What did we expect when he was elected ? You certainly didn't imagine he would appoint qualified people who were not part of his inner circle did you ?
These next 4 years will literally be an experiment in terror.Hopefully there will be someone around to try to put the pieces back togeether again.
These next 4 years will literally be an experiment in terror.Hopefully there will be someone around to try to put the pieces back togeether again.
3
Teachers Unions across the country are very powerful. End of story. Ms. DeVos is a philanthropist who is engaged with and knowledgeable about education. She places the needs of students and parents above those of teachers, which makes her the arch-villain. I applaud her courage and commitment.
3
Betsy DeVos's Wild West https://youtu.be/5jzBLZzMV-E
Preaching to the choir on a NYTimes msg board, but as a teacher the best thing you can do is act: please contact your Republican senators and urge them to review her candidacy carefully and encourage them to reject this woman. While education is seemingly small compared to national security and all of the other problems in this young presidency, the Republicans who are casting a deciding vote need to be reminded just how unqualified Ms. DeVos is, and that it is "on them" if she gets in and starts doing damage.
3
Vote YES for DeVos. What better way to destroy our nation than to destroy our public schools? It will happen very slowly, so no one will notice - and the money saved can be given to the wealthiest Americans!
"What for I got read no Tale of Two Cities?" (Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut)
"What for I got read no Tale of Two Cities?" (Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut)
Being a woman, Ms DeVos is the nominee trump is least likely to defend vigorously. She may be hopelessly unqualified, but so is trump himself and most of his staff.
2
You know that is really an accomplishment because the competition she faced as a cabinet appointment to be the most jeered was nothing short of impressive in terms of being jeer worthy. Only our Donald could have put together a lineup like that.
2
DeVos's turn in the UFT barrel. At least the vote is close and there should be some interesting moments before the big tally in the USS.
I live in Albany, California. I own a condominium there. Albany is a bedroom community with high real estate prices and high property taxes. Why? Because EVERYBODY who has children, wants an Albany address so they can attend the Albany Public Schools, one of the finest school systems in the San Francisco Bay Area. Public schools, NOT private.
3
With the Senate Education Committee voting to override its quorum requirement, the full body of the Senate is scheduled to vote on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education on Monday.
Two GOP Senators indicate that constituent demands have prompted them to oppose confirmation of DeVos for this position. As the GOP dominance in the Senate is 52 to 48, this will call for VP Mike Pence to arrive at the Senate Chambers to break an apparent 50-50 deadlock.
No doubt massive pressure is being placed by the Trump White House on each of the GOP Senators to toe the party line, just as the Senate telephone system has been put into gridlock with calls from constituents voicing their concerns.
As this is the flu season, it might be an attractive option for a GOP Senator to come down with that nasty stomach flu bug which is going around so as to justify an "absent" vote on Monday for the DeVos confirmation.
No one would want to see the others in the Senate Chambers subject to this highly communicable disease. Or to have a vulnerable Senator who ignored the demands of his/her constituents in the 2018 Mid term elections.
Two GOP Senators indicate that constituent demands have prompted them to oppose confirmation of DeVos for this position. As the GOP dominance in the Senate is 52 to 48, this will call for VP Mike Pence to arrive at the Senate Chambers to break an apparent 50-50 deadlock.
No doubt massive pressure is being placed by the Trump White House on each of the GOP Senators to toe the party line, just as the Senate telephone system has been put into gridlock with calls from constituents voicing their concerns.
As this is the flu season, it might be an attractive option for a GOP Senator to come down with that nasty stomach flu bug which is going around so as to justify an "absent" vote on Monday for the DeVos confirmation.
No one would want to see the others in the Senate Chambers subject to this highly communicable disease. Or to have a vulnerable Senator who ignored the demands of his/her constituents in the 2018 Mid term elections.
mrs. de vos' entire qualification for this post is she donated to trump's campaign.
5
If by now you haven't figured it out that the GOP and this President are hell bent on serving the rich and special interest, then you deserve whatever misery comes your way. This woman is as qualified to be Education Secretary as my old pair of shoes are. Look at his cabinet, from nut jobs, to a white supremacist bigot and war monger as his top advisor; to a Russian buddy for SOS; to a fake wrestling promoter to head the SBA; to a guy whose only experience for HUD Secretary is that he lives in a house, to Wall Street folks with hundreds of millions in payouts to head our financial agencies. Not rocket science to know who they will really be serving. This man has made a mockery of not just the Presidency, but more so of all Americans. He and his surrogates wake up every morning thinking of new ways to play us for fools, insulting our intelligence with tales spun from thin air. The GOP is nothing but an empty bag of nothing, spineless and worthless. What a disgrace.
5
Betsy DeVos is NOT entitled to her own facts. "To improve a system requires the intelligent application of relevant data." The fact that DeVos apparently believes that online full time charter schools have graduation rates much higher than they actually are, should disqualify her from being Sec of Ed. In so many ways, she is woefully under equipped to hold the position for which she has been nominated.
4
How to become a Billionaress.
First change your name to Betsy DeVos.
First change your name to Betsy DeVos.
3
Michelle Rhee is waiting in the wings! Be careful what you ask for.
3
The woman didn't even bother to Google PELL GRANT before she appeared at the confirmation hearing. Elitist? More like oblivious!
6
DeVos's support for vouchers is nothing more than a throw back to then Virginia Governor Byrd's lead on 'massive resistance'. Vouchers were the brainchild of segregationists and should be left in the trash can where they belong. DeVos's nomination should also find its place in the dustbin of history.
3
Trump loves the "poorly educated", and Betsy Devos will ensure we will have more people of the kind Trump loves, the kind of people who think "Frederick Douglass is getting noticed more and more".
5
Of course DeVos is a laughable and pathetic choice for Education, but amongst the clown cabal of Trump's cabinet picks, is there really a pick more worthy of jeers than Rick Perry for (gasp) Energy?
5
This nominee along with Perry and Sessions represent the Three Stooges of the Cabinet.
4
Even a highly-qualified pro-choice nominee would see huge organised opposition from the AFT and NEA. But a highly-qualified nominee would be worth supporting and fighting for. DaVos isn't. Her positions give charter schools and voucher programs a bad name, and will make it more difficult for such programs to gain the local support they need to succeed. Republicans should dump her and go with any one of a number of strong candidates.
2
The charter school movement is first and foremost an anti union strategy, one that plays on parents concerns on their kids education along with the general distaste the public has when service unions go out on strike, inconveniencing parents and students alike. Charter schools defang unions while redirecting public funds to privately controlled boards, without improving educational outcomes. As a scam, it's pretty effective, but as a means to keep the US competitive with the rest of the world, don't bet on it.
5
SAVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
Call and email your Senators and a Senator who is wavering.
Vote NO on DeVos!
Call and email your Senators and a Senator who is wavering.
Vote NO on DeVos!
6
The fact that the nomination of DeVos is generating such a huge volume of calls opposing her tells you two things.
First, the NEA and AFT are worried, and second, Democrats are beholden to the teachers' unions and could care less about disadvantaged students.
First, the NEA and AFT are worried, and second, Democrats are beholden to the teachers' unions and could care less about disadvantaged students.
3
Right, the fact that the nomination is generating such a huge volume of calls is all about the union. Because Jim Waddell has such scorn and contempt for parents that he knows no parent would ever object to a woman so admirable, brilliant, and utterly qualified as Betsy DeVos. When it comes to pure cyncism, nothing beats right wingers like Jim Waddell whose certainty that public school parents happily will sacrifice their own children's well-being to help the teachers' union is truly beyond belief.
The contempt of right wing Republicans for the 90% of American parents who send their children to public schools and actually prefer a qualified person overseeing education is shameful. To accuse parents of sacrificing their children to promote the union? Because we don't accept Donald Trump's "alternative facts" about how qualified she is for the job?
No wonder Trump's approval rate is so low. The few who still approve Trump are like Jim Waddell, cynics whose contempt for the 90% of American parents who send their children to public schools knows no bounds.
The contempt of right wing Republicans for the 90% of American parents who send their children to public schools and actually prefer a qualified person overseeing education is shameful. To accuse parents of sacrificing their children to promote the union? Because we don't accept Donald Trump's "alternative facts" about how qualified she is for the job?
No wonder Trump's approval rate is so low. The few who still approve Trump are like Jim Waddell, cynics whose contempt for the 90% of American parents who send their children to public schools knows no bounds.
2
American Madrassas
Religious education funded by wealthy ideologues
Religious education funded by wealthy ideologues
5
"Do you think if you were not a multi-billionaire, if your family had not made hundreds of millions of dollars of contributions to the republican party, that you would be sitting here today?"
This question posed to de Vos, by none other than Sen. Sanders, nailed it pretty much why she is being nominated.
This question posed to de Vos, by none other than Sen. Sanders, nailed it pretty much why she is being nominated.
5
I am a public school advocate - I believe everyone should attend public schools, have religious instructions outside of the educational setting/classroom. I have seen first hand in our district (Lawrence), the devastation to the public schools to the benefit of the private schools after our school board was overrun with private interests, shared by Ms. DeVos. It is wrong to divert public funds to private schools. If a family cannot afford private school, then that's just too bad. In my opinion, private schools should be abolished, and everyone would have truly equal High Quality education for all.
2
"If you expect a nation to be ignorant and free , you expect what never was and can never be." "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
Thomas Jefferson
DeVos & Trump are devoted to dumbing down America.
Thomas Jefferson
DeVos & Trump are devoted to dumbing down America.
4
Please add my jeers.
3
It's not that surprising. People tend to be very protective of children and their education.
And in a group of uninformed and inexperienced nominees, DeVos stood out as the most ignorant of a bad bunch during her confirmation hearing.
And in a group of uninformed and inexperienced nominees, DeVos stood out as the most ignorant of a bad bunch during her confirmation hearing.
4
Ms. DeVos has displayed that very quality we hope never to see in our own children: total apathy towards learning.
She doesn't know a thing about the federal education system, the public education systems of the 50 states, the ins and outs of the country's higher education system, the laws and regulations concerning education, best practices in this country, best practices from around the world, etc., etc., etc.
Her complete lack of knowledge in the area she claims to wish to run is alarming; her complete lack of desire to learn what's necessary to perform the job is unforgiveable.
She doesn't know a thing about the federal education system, the public education systems of the 50 states, the ins and outs of the country's higher education system, the laws and regulations concerning education, best practices in this country, best practices from around the world, etc., etc., etc.
Her complete lack of knowledge in the area she claims to wish to run is alarming; her complete lack of desire to learn what's necessary to perform the job is unforgiveable.
5
Worst since Ed Meese and James Watt. Even worse than Ben Carson. And that is saying something. I've never called our Senators before til now.
3
Thomas Jefferson supported public education in part to end the monopoly over education exercised by the charlatan clergy.
3
There seems to be a preponderance of willful ignorance these days. More pernicious than willful ignorance, is willful ignorance for political or financial gain. One has to question the integrity of any elected official voting to confirm the singularly unqualified DeVos.
4
There is an ulterior motive here, and that deceit makes all of the nomination of a grossly unqualified person, criminal.
1
Did Trump mean to say: "Fill the Swamp" did I hear him wrong? Do we really need more incompetent out of touch billionaires to force her will on us? Draconian!
2
It is quite evident that in addition to her complete lack of knowledge re: public education, Ms Betsy's sole aim is to advance the voucher system. The voucher system is a cash cow for those involved in them. The only school systems that benefit from them are parochial schools and inferior, inexpensive private schools. Fine private schoools are so expensive that the vouchers amount to a pittance. However the present occupant of the WH and his cronies seem determined to denigrate educated people and show a marked preference for those who are "poorly educated". An educated populace would be a definite threat to those who have seized the power of our government at this time. Putting Ms Betsy in the cabinet as Secretary of Education would be their dream come true. This must be stopped for the good of our nation's future.
4
The public schools will be left with little money and lots of poor needy children once DeVos gets in. She is going to privatize public education for profit and the poor will only lag further behind than they already do. We will end up with more people than ever on welfare. So what's wrong with that?
3
We know that public education is of no concern to DeVos. We know that public education is of no concern to politicians who vote to confirm her. Public education is one of the things that makes our country great. Without public education we are no better than a third world country. Keep public education public.
6
Keep education public, great, for diversity, and in the sunshine, forever.
1
A woman who has ZERO knowledge of pedagogy, special education, never written a lesson plan or taught a classroom of students is going to lead and create policy for our nation's schools. Her prerequisites are being able to inhale/ exhale and the billions of dollars she's made from gutting districts. Despite DeVos' limited knowledge all the important and non-financial matters of education, she has the audacity to demonize public school teachers. She doesn't have a track record of success. Overall, her charter schools in Michigan have been an abject failure despite the billions of taxpayer dollars her corporation has been paid.
Welcome all to the United States of Trump. You don't need any experience, good character, moral code, or even intelligence to lead our country. Sad!
Welcome all to the United States of Trump. You don't need any experience, good character, moral code, or even intelligence to lead our country. Sad!
7
As a parent of an 11-year old and a 6-year old, I'm stunned that Ms. DeVos could be considered for such an important role. Even if certain news media outlets are painting an unfairly biased picture of her, all you have to do is listen to her speak to know she isn't a person you'd want in charge of your children's education. Honestly, I wouldn't even want her working the lunch line in the cafeteria in my kids' school. She's neither competent nor qualified, and how does that reflect on the guy who nominated her for the position? It's astonishing to me how a guy like Trump can claim to be one of the world's finest chief executives, yet he refuses to listen to opposing viewpoints. HIs disregard to perspective is arrogant and ignorant, indicative of the type of boss who is feared by all but, sadly, stood up to by few. No successful company operates like this. If he wants to run the country like a business then at least pick a good role model. But he hasn't, and so far, few Republican insiders have had the courage to stand up to his cavalier "my way or the highway" missive. I give Republicans enough credit to believe they're smart enough to see the obvious, that Ms. DeVos is far from qualified for this role. But I worry that none of them have the backbone to do what they know to be right and vote against her. By voting for Ms. DeVos, what Trump and the Republicans are saying is: she's a better choice than the other 317,999,999 other people living in the US. No way that's true.
6
SEEMED ignorant of federal education law???? How about completely devoid of any knowledge whatsoever. Her responses were consistently embarrassing. If the goal is to dumb down the country, this is the perfect start. Make Amurika Grate Agin.
4
Ms. DeVos doesn't even have the qualifications to run for dogcatcher.
4
Everyone know union teachers are vastly overworked & underpaid in their singular goal to help inner city youth.
We don't need these ignorant philanthropists when we get ample tax dollars.
We don't need these ignorant philanthropists when we get ample tax dollars.
3
NYTimes, you're really dropping the ball on your coverage of current events here. Why do I have to scroll down to nearly the bottom of this story before you get to the important news of the day -- that her nomination - despite strong, vocal opposition was advanced to a "final confirmation vote, expected early next week"?? Readers look to you to keep on top of the news, not be drowned by it.
1
I read the BBC. They are to the point and cover all of the US nomination events.
1
The President's lack of basic education makes me cringe. We need a strong, qualified leader to advocate for our children.
4
Just more proof of our inherent misogyny in the political system.
3
Why is this not THE pay-to-play scandal headlining every news outlet? It is well documented that she has given $115,000 to sitting Republican Senators, many who now refuse to meet with constituents or answer phone calls. Her family has been filling the bank accounts of Republicans since the 1980s.
6
We are jeopardizing the right every child has to a good, free public K-12 education in the US . While Trump denigrated Hillary Clinton for "pay to play" tactics, this is exactly what he is doing with DeVos and others. She gave lots of money to the GOP, and now she wants her place in the Cabinet. I say NO.
5
Ms. DeVos’ record demonstrates the wealthy-elite contempt she holds for public schools, teachers, and especially the lower-income students who most need the preparation to live, work, and vote in America in the 21st century.
The hearings on her nomination revealed how unprepared Ms. DeVos is to lead this critical Department. Her inexperience, her dedication to privatizing K-12 education, and her interest and past investments in private-education ventures threaten the future of our children and our nation.
Rather than dismantle public education with a voucher program that takes funds away from public schools, the Department should step up its support of public education. The money should go to areas where research shows that it works: small class size and especially support to teachers. Not to private investors, school-administrators competing for public dollars and easy-to-educate students and
benefits.
Rising above partisan politics in this case is essential for the future of our country.
The hearings on her nomination revealed how unprepared Ms. DeVos is to lead this critical Department. Her inexperience, her dedication to privatizing K-12 education, and her interest and past investments in private-education ventures threaten the future of our children and our nation.
Rather than dismantle public education with a voucher program that takes funds away from public schools, the Department should step up its support of public education. The money should go to areas where research shows that it works: small class size and especially support to teachers. Not to private investors, school-administrators competing for public dollars and easy-to-educate students and
benefits.
Rising above partisan politics in this case is essential for the future of our country.
25
Privatizing education, deregulating educational standards and the voucher program will defund public education and the end result will be a lower quality education for the majority of US children.
Mr. Trump is destabilizing our country, and is now intent on waging war on public school children. The confirmation of Mrs. DeVos must be stopped. Use your voice, contact your state Senator's office today.
Mr. Trump is destabilizing our country, and is now intent on waging war on public school children. The confirmation of Mrs. DeVos must be stopped. Use your voice, contact your state Senator's office today.
19
Yup! President Trump is cleaning the trough in Washington & replacing it by incompetent peoples such as Ms DeVos...
Anyone that states that this is "democracy at its best" should go back to the library! She's as competent to lead the education as Trump is to be the President! Period!
Anyone that states that this is "democracy at its best" should go back to the library! She's as competent to lead the education as Trump is to be the President! Period!
18
Betsy DeVos ignorance was so apparent at her confirmation hearings. It puts good education at risk for the vast majority of our kids.
I emailed my Republican senator, Rob Portman, asking him to vote no on her confirmation. I expect to no avail.
I emailed my Republican senator, Rob Portman, asking him to vote no on her confirmation. I expect to no avail.
17
“Poor Mrs. DeVos is a victim of her poor performance in her hearing,”
Wow. Usually liberals are accused of exploiting victimhood, but Betsy DeVos outdoes them all. She is a victim of her own failure.
Wow. Usually liberals are accused of exploiting victimhood, but Betsy DeVos outdoes them all. She is a victim of her own failure.
10
When I was in journalism school, I was taught to make direct statements of fact. "Mrs. DeVos performed poorly in her hearing." Used fewer words too.
I read an in-depth article in Politico magazine a couple of weeks ago about Mrs. DeVos, her family and their history of involvement in Michigan politics and the school system there. Truly scary stuff. She comes across as not just a conservative christian, but a religious zealot of Calvinism - her entire family (called the" DeVos Family Council") uses their fortune to promote their religious agenda.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/betsy-dick-devos-family-a...
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/betsy-dick-devos-family-a...
15
Thanks for sharing; I just read it. One family should not have that much political power.
Yes the education department gets only 3% of the federal budget but it is critical department we have. Education determines our country's future, its leaders, its violence rates, its morality. So of course there is national uproar against DeVos.
The US public school system is already terrible, with high school graduates not permitted to go directly to a good university in the UK or Australia because the quality of American education is considered too low. The last thing this country needs is Betsy DeVos and her megalomaniacal promotion of the voucher system for charter schools. This system has already been proven to produce lower test scores than the regular public school system, yet because DeVos has invested a personal fortune in charter schools she will plug this until she dies.
The quality of public education will further deteriorate, the dropout rate will increase, socioeconomic inequality will increase, inner city violence and social unrest will increase, and the only people insulated from this are DeVos's and her crony friends' kids in their sheltered elite private schools. Yet another example of the Trump cabinet profiting financially from America's poor. Disgusting.
The US public school system is already terrible, with high school graduates not permitted to go directly to a good university in the UK or Australia because the quality of American education is considered too low. The last thing this country needs is Betsy DeVos and her megalomaniacal promotion of the voucher system for charter schools. This system has already been proven to produce lower test scores than the regular public school system, yet because DeVos has invested a personal fortune in charter schools she will plug this until she dies.
The quality of public education will further deteriorate, the dropout rate will increase, socioeconomic inequality will increase, inner city violence and social unrest will increase, and the only people insulated from this are DeVos's and her crony friends' kids in their sheltered elite private schools. Yet another example of the Trump cabinet profiting financially from America's poor. Disgusting.
4
In some respects, the role of senior official is really one of project manager and liaison between the bureaucracy and the executive branch. So, if they know how to keep things running smoothly, and serve as honest conduits to and from the leadership, that can be enough, and any expertise or vision in the area is gravy on top.
Within the incoming administration, however, one gets the sense that the conduit will be unidirectional rather than 2-way. In which case, real expertise in the portfolio is needed, in order to serve the challenge function normally expected and accepted from the bureaucracy. From all outward appearances, Ms. DeVos does not seem to be the sort of champion of education needed for the position. Perhaps just as importantly, her nomination reflects poorly on the judgment of the White House when it comes to understanding what might *keep* America "great", longer than a 4-year term.
Within the incoming administration, however, one gets the sense that the conduit will be unidirectional rather than 2-way. In which case, real expertise in the portfolio is needed, in order to serve the challenge function normally expected and accepted from the bureaucracy. From all outward appearances, Ms. DeVos does not seem to be the sort of champion of education needed for the position. Perhaps just as importantly, her nomination reflects poorly on the judgment of the White House when it comes to understanding what might *keep* America "great", longer than a 4-year term.
4
These senators who received contributions from DeVos should recuse themselves from voting on her nomination. Feel free to call them to voice your opinion:
Sen. Roy Blunt (MO) - $33,100: (202) 224-5721 or (816) 471-7141
Sen. Richard Burr (NC) - $43,200: (202) 224-3154 or (888) 848-1833
Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA) - $70,200: (202) 224-5824 or (504) 838-0130
Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) - $26,000: (202) 224-2353 or (501) 223-9081
Sen. Steve Daines (MT) - $46,800: (202) 224-2651 or (406) 245-6822
Sen. Cory Gardner (CO) - $49,800: (202) 224-5941 or (303) 391-5777
Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA) - $21,600: (202) 224-3744 or (515) 288-1145
Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) - $38,600: (202) 224-5323 or (414) 276-7282
Sen. John McCain (AZ) - $50,600: (202) 224-2235 or (602) 952-2410
Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) - $36,400: (202) 224-2541 or (502) 582-6304
Sen. David Perdue (GA) - $23,400: (202) 224-3521 or (404) 865-0087
Sen. Rob Portman (OH) - $51,000: (202) 224-3353 or (216) 522-7095
Sen. Mike Rounds (SD) - $46,800: (202) 224-5842 or (605) 224-1450
Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) - $98,300: (202) 224-3041 or (904) 398-8586
Sen. Tim Scott (SC) - $49,200: (202) 224-6121 or (803) 771-6112
Sen. Dan Sullivan (AK) - $23,400: (202) 224-3004 or (907) 271-5915
Sen. John Thune (SD) - $17,500: (202) 224-2321 or (605) 348-7551
Sen. Thom Tillis (NC) - $70,200: (202) 2246342 or (704) 509-9087
Sen. Pat Toomey (PA) - $60,050: (202) 224-4254 or (215) 241-1090
Sen. Todd Young (IN) - $48,600: (202) 224-5623 or (317) 226-6700
Sen. Roy Blunt (MO) - $33,100: (202) 224-5721 or (816) 471-7141
Sen. Richard Burr (NC) - $43,200: (202) 224-3154 or (888) 848-1833
Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA) - $70,200: (202) 224-5824 or (504) 838-0130
Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) - $26,000: (202) 224-2353 or (501) 223-9081
Sen. Steve Daines (MT) - $46,800: (202) 224-2651 or (406) 245-6822
Sen. Cory Gardner (CO) - $49,800: (202) 224-5941 or (303) 391-5777
Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA) - $21,600: (202) 224-3744 or (515) 288-1145
Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) - $38,600: (202) 224-5323 or (414) 276-7282
Sen. John McCain (AZ) - $50,600: (202) 224-2235 or (602) 952-2410
Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) - $36,400: (202) 224-2541 or (502) 582-6304
Sen. David Perdue (GA) - $23,400: (202) 224-3521 or (404) 865-0087
Sen. Rob Portman (OH) - $51,000: (202) 224-3353 or (216) 522-7095
Sen. Mike Rounds (SD) - $46,800: (202) 224-5842 or (605) 224-1450
Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) - $98,300: (202) 224-3041 or (904) 398-8586
Sen. Tim Scott (SC) - $49,200: (202) 224-6121 or (803) 771-6112
Sen. Dan Sullivan (AK) - $23,400: (202) 224-3004 or (907) 271-5915
Sen. John Thune (SD) - $17,500: (202) 224-2321 or (605) 348-7551
Sen. Thom Tillis (NC) - $70,200: (202) 2246342 or (704) 509-9087
Sen. Pat Toomey (PA) - $60,050: (202) 224-4254 or (215) 241-1090
Sen. Todd Young (IN) - $48,600: (202) 224-5623 or (317) 226-6700
43
Wow! How cool is this. Smart thinking...this seems to be a very useful method to inform quickly those who live in those states reach their reps.
Kudos for creative thinking!!!
Kudos for creative thinking!!!
2
"she has fought not only for the expansion of the charter school sector — a bipartisan cause"
Why is that? Why should corporate-welfare "charter" schools ever be anything more than a target of spit, ridicule, and bans, let alone by both parties? Shut them all down and let's use their executive pay to shape up our public systems!
As for DeVos...I give the not-my-President credit for finding at least one woman who has managed to out-Palin Palin.
Why is that? Why should corporate-welfare "charter" schools ever be anything more than a target of spit, ridicule, and bans, let alone by both parties? Shut them all down and let's use their executive pay to shape up our public systems!
As for DeVos...I give the not-my-President credit for finding at least one woman who has managed to out-Palin Palin.
15
No experience as classroom teach- public or private.
No experience as and academic or researcher who studies public or private education.
No academic work in child development or in student assessment.
No experience (that I can find) as public school student.
Little to no professed believe in public education.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't find anything that qualifies her to lead American public education.
An open hostility to American public education and contributions to organizations supporting her commingled education and political beliefs seem to be the only things that have gotten her through the door.
We need good public schools that work. We need a qualified education secretary who will support public schools- not seek to weaken and dismantle them.
No experience as and academic or researcher who studies public or private education.
No academic work in child development or in student assessment.
No experience (that I can find) as public school student.
Little to no professed believe in public education.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't find anything that qualifies her to lead American public education.
An open hostility to American public education and contributions to organizations supporting her commingled education and political beliefs seem to be the only things that have gotten her through the door.
We need good public schools that work. We need a qualified education secretary who will support public schools- not seek to weaken and dismantle them.
8
A NYT Pick reader said "What is unclear is whether the Republicans will put the interest of the country and the children ahead of their own self-interests." It’s doubtful that ALL of those 52 GOP senators are sending their children and grandchildren to private schools. There must be Sen's like Hassan, who do have their children in public schools. It's a disgrace that out of 52 of them there aren’t more than two who would vote FOR the self-interest of their families, friends, and constituents.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both voted in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (laughingly:HELP) Committee Tuesday to allow DeVos' nomination to proceed to the floor for a full vote "out of deference to the new president.” If these two GOP senators are ‘truly’ voting against her, why has DeVos’ name been brought to a vote on the floor at all? This is politics, pure and simple. They did it with the clear knowledge the GOP would fall in lockstep and make the two of them look like heroes. This is a thinly veiled political game and they should be equally castigated for engaging in this empty rhetoric. This process shows who the real cowards are
Most of America sends its children to public school and a large percentage are teachers, administrators and educators-add to that the number of union members who have their children in public school. We as a nation have short memories; but to be sure-two years from now they’ll be reminded.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both voted in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (laughingly:HELP) Committee Tuesday to allow DeVos' nomination to proceed to the floor for a full vote "out of deference to the new president.” If these two GOP senators are ‘truly’ voting against her, why has DeVos’ name been brought to a vote on the floor at all? This is politics, pure and simple. They did it with the clear knowledge the GOP would fall in lockstep and make the two of them look like heroes. This is a thinly veiled political game and they should be equally castigated for engaging in this empty rhetoric. This process shows who the real cowards are
Most of America sends its children to public school and a large percentage are teachers, administrators and educators-add to that the number of union members who have their children in public school. We as a nation have short memories; but to be sure-two years from now they’ll be reminded.
13
DeVos is, by some measures, the worst cabinet nominee. As Education Secretary, she could not do as much damage to the world as some of the other nominees but, in terms of ill-fitness for the job, only Pruitt (the anti-EPA crusader nominated to run the EPA) comes close.
I really hope one additional GOP senator has the courage and decency to vote against her.
I work in a private school and can understand (though don't support) some of the thinking behind the school choice movement. I can't understand nominating and confirming someone who has no experience with public education and has spent a lifetime fighting for something which would undermine it to be Secretary of Education. Quality public education is the greatest investment in the future we make.
I really hope one additional GOP senator has the courage and decency to vote against her.
I work in a private school and can understand (though don't support) some of the thinking behind the school choice movement. I can't understand nominating and confirming someone who has no experience with public education and has spent a lifetime fighting for something which would undermine it to be Secretary of Education. Quality public education is the greatest investment in the future we make.
7
As as clarification, I am in favor of a healthy mix among public schools, independent ( aka private ), parochial, and home study options. If and when web offerings are available with sufficient quality, I would support them.
The best managed among these will tend to show superior student outcomes and logic suggests reallocating resources to those programs with the most effective student outcomes.
That said, the key measure of Betsy DeVos' governance ability in education is to look at the student outcomes in those jurisdictions in which she has has the most control. Mrs. DeVos has had significant control over education in the State of Michigan. The State of Michigan has among the lowest three results in student outcomes in the nation.
By far the state with the best student outcomes has been the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Logic would suggest that naming those who made things happen in Massachusetts to take the lead in our nation's educational policy making.
It is vital that we avoid policy disasters of prior Administrations that have undermined the education of our young, both No Child Left Behind and the Federally Insured Student Loan program that guaranteed debt of unprepared students to attend ineptly managed higher education institutions.
We have a dire need to improve the innovation and the creative thinking ability of our young. Betsy DeVos does not have the competence nor the governance to make that happen.
The best managed among these will tend to show superior student outcomes and logic suggests reallocating resources to those programs with the most effective student outcomes.
That said, the key measure of Betsy DeVos' governance ability in education is to look at the student outcomes in those jurisdictions in which she has has the most control. Mrs. DeVos has had significant control over education in the State of Michigan. The State of Michigan has among the lowest three results in student outcomes in the nation.
By far the state with the best student outcomes has been the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Logic would suggest that naming those who made things happen in Massachusetts to take the lead in our nation's educational policy making.
It is vital that we avoid policy disasters of prior Administrations that have undermined the education of our young, both No Child Left Behind and the Federally Insured Student Loan program that guaranteed debt of unprepared students to attend ineptly managed higher education institutions.
We have a dire need to improve the innovation and the creative thinking ability of our young. Betsy DeVos does not have the competence nor the governance to make that happen.
3
The whole point of public education is to provide ROI on investment. Moving public funds to faith-based schools and schools for the upper class means we are investing our dollars based on religion and class rather than talent. No country competes successfully when intellectual acumen is pushed off the plate.
4
"Jeering" has not been the tone I have used when I've called numerous Senators urging them to oppose this appointment. Rather, I've explained the reasons for my opposition clearly and concisely. One reason why so many calls are being made from all over the country is because it seems that this is one appointment where the solid Republican roadblock to thoughtful and well-qualified Cabinet members is cracking. Denying DeVos this job will not only be good for students all over the country, but also a real and a symbolic victory by the loyal opposition.
1
Why are the senators who are known to have received money from Betsy DeVos, allowed to vote on her nomination? Isn't that a huge conflict-of-interest and why aren't there laws against that?
5
Why are the senators who are known to have received money from Teacher's Unions, allowed to vote on the nomination? Isn't that a huge conflict-of-interest and why aren't there laws against that?
There are so very many reasons this nominee should not be Secretary of Education. Not least is the plagiarism in her application. When our students ask our educators why they can't just copy and paste other people's words into works they claim as their own rather doing their own work, how do we respond when they say that it was okay when the Secretary of Education did it on her application to head the Department of Education? Good examples are the best teaching tools we have; let's not send the message to our kids that it is okay to cheat by stealing other people's words!
3
"This level of opposition “would have been shocking in Bill Bennett’s time,” said Grover J. Whitehurst ....“Poor Mrs. DeVos is a victim of her poor performance in her hearing,” he said, “but also of broader political theater."" You mean besides the abject incompetence, complete and utter lack of integrity, and politically motivated objectives totally at odds with rational throught Mr. Whitehurst?
5
Anyone who doesn't see the problem with promoting Charter Schools willy nilly (as De Vos has done in MI) should just look at what has happened in Detroit. The NYT even had an article on this (June 28, 2106) called "A Sea of Charter Schools in Detroit Leaves Students Adrift." I guess now that De Vos has had her say in the educational system of Detroit she wants to bring her "winning" strategy to the country at large. God help us.
De Vos is anti-education and nothing could make that clearer than her own poor performance at her hearing. She didn't do poorly because she's not good under pressure, she is. She is poised and almost impossible to ruffle. She just didn't bother to think about education in any reasonably systemic way and therefore education questions that any reasonable Secretary of Education candidate should be able to field easily became gotcha' questions. She is unprepared and unqualified. Kids deserve better than this.
De Vos is anti-education and nothing could make that clearer than her own poor performance at her hearing. She didn't do poorly because she's not good under pressure, she is. She is poised and almost impossible to ruffle. She just didn't bother to think about education in any reasonably systemic way and therefore education questions that any reasonable Secretary of Education candidate should be able to field easily became gotcha' questions. She is unprepared and unqualified. Kids deserve better than this.
4
Betsy DeVos is unqualified. Even my high school students made fun of how absurd her statements were during her hearing. So pathetic that high school students can spot a charlatan when these oh so sophisticated politicians think they have a worthy candidate.
4
I am amazed DeVos consents to being nominated for a position she knows nothing about. When considering the kaleidoscopic nature of our national public education system, then divide it by 50 states, the complexity is staggering. A woman who has never even been a student (much less an educator, principal, or superintendent) of ANY school wants this position. ? ? ? ? ? I'm coming up with all zeros and a couple of dunce caps.
5
The United States spends more per pupil than any other country on the planet. I don't know if DeVos is good or bad but we as a nation are not getting our money's worth. More money toward schools is clearly not the solution.
5
There are no directly valid comparisons nation to nation because we account what is "education" spending so differently. A lot of the money we account to education is spent as health care in other countries (in personnel salaries as well as student services), as the most obvious example, but it extends to things like sports as well.
24% of American kids live in poverty, and a lot of education money goes into trying to alleviate that, when the other nations are well below 10%.
24% of American kids live in poverty, and a lot of education money goes into trying to alleviate that, when the other nations are well below 10%.
In the rightist 'n mind DeVos makes as much sense as electing another draft dodging coward to be commander 'n cheif of the military.
1
When in doubt, find out how people are viewed in their home states, where they've done the bulk of their work and affected the most people. DeVos is reviled in Michigan.
7
Mark Rosengarten was my Chemistry Teacher. He is the real deal: compassionate, wicked smart, entertaining and inspiring. I am now a High School English Teacher myself, and work doggedly to reach his level. He speaks the truth here.
3
Bernie Sanders said it best when he asked Devos during her Senate committee hearing, "If you and your family had not given $200 million to the Republican Party do you think you would be sitting here today?"
6
I'd like to see her college transcript
4
She has a leg up, in that judging by the tenure of the last few Secretaries, no one defers to them anyway. A Secretary of Education exists to be abused.
1
The logical outcome of a nation whose educational policy was set by Betsy DeVos would be a vast increase in the number of our nation's best and brightest who could not get any job other than selling Amway door to door.
1
She's just completely unqualified. She's a rich heiress to a fortune built on a pyramid scheme scam whose career thus far has been focused on extracting taxpayer money to sent to for-profit "education" companies. Her own kids never went near public schools. She's never been near public schools in her adult career. There's just nothing there at all that suggests she has any of the basic qualifications for the role.
1
Nothing would make me happier than seeing DeVos derailed in her desire to become Education Secretary (other than Trump being impeached, of course). Her nomination is a complete and utter disgrace. It's sad how this administration has operated so far--lies, incompetence, a complete and utter lack of thoughtfulness, intelligence, and diplomacy.
45
I'm with you!
On the bright side, deregulating educational standards will most likely lead to a rise in drop out rates, or a lower quality education. Those population groups tend to lean republican. So give Betsy DeVos credit: she is merely looking out for the long-term future of her party, while increasing profits for a few in the short run.
One thing I will miss about Obama is that he did not put the ideals of the democratic party above those of the country, something which the republican party should respect, and even try to learn from.
One thing I will miss about Obama is that he did not put the ideals of the democratic party above those of the country, something which the republican party should respect, and even try to learn from.
21
Betsy DeVos seems unqualified, unprepared to be Secretary of Education, and seems to have little knowledge of how the Department of Education is run or governed.
If you want to keep America great or "make America great again" - with good jobs and skilled workers- you need to understand that an educated work force with the most productive workforce. America is a country built on innovation and innovation is fueled by publicly educated work force and middle class. Schools that operate for profit by their very structure profit first. The students are not the priority.
Make America Great Again - Give US Quality, Public Schools.
If you want to keep America great or "make America great again" - with good jobs and skilled workers- you need to understand that an educated work force with the most productive workforce. America is a country built on innovation and innovation is fueled by publicly educated work force and middle class. Schools that operate for profit by their very structure profit first. The students are not the priority.
Make America Great Again - Give US Quality, Public Schools.
14
DeVos doesn't necessarily have to have a lot of knowledge about running the DoE. Presumably, knowledgeable career DoEers can help there. However, I was shocked at her lack of knowledge about educational issues, despite the amount of time, energy, and money she spends putting her opinions and support out there for non-public schools.
It's one thing to have an obviously and understandably sub-qualified Ben Carson for the HUD job, it's quite another to have a self professed expert exposed as sub-qualified. More dangerous than sub-qualified: fervently promoting theories for providing alternatives to public education, and possibly hamstringing public education in favor of those alternatives, when some of her theories might be profit-driven hogwash.
It's one thing to have an obviously and understandably sub-qualified Ben Carson for the HUD job, it's quite another to have a self professed expert exposed as sub-qualified. More dangerous than sub-qualified: fervently promoting theories for providing alternatives to public education, and possibly hamstringing public education in favor of those alternatives, when some of her theories might be profit-driven hogwash.
2
The bottom line is that Betsy DeVos does not have the experience required to be secretary of education. Undoubtedly there are more qualified candidates with impressive academic and professional credentials. Her appointment would be an insult to educators and a loss for public schools.
Question: of Trump’s cabinet appointments, why have objections to Ms. DeVos’ nomination been the most successful? Many nominees have only indirectly related experience to positions in which they will serve. The president himself has no political or policy experience (pause to pray.) Two answers that come to mind: first, she is woman and, second, politicians have less interest in education (small budget as mentioned in column.)
My question is a critical aside... because the response to Betsy DeVos’ nomination is an overwhelmingly positive sign. It is a nonpartisan statement of a fundamental American value. Americans families want quality public education and we demand quality leadership for our schools.
Question: of Trump’s cabinet appointments, why have objections to Ms. DeVos’ nomination been the most successful? Many nominees have only indirectly related experience to positions in which they will serve. The president himself has no political or policy experience (pause to pray.) Two answers that come to mind: first, she is woman and, second, politicians have less interest in education (small budget as mentioned in column.)
My question is a critical aside... because the response to Betsy DeVos’ nomination is an overwhelmingly positive sign. It is a nonpartisan statement of a fundamental American value. Americans families want quality public education and we demand quality leadership for our schools.
10
Of course, Republicans don't listen to their constituents when they clamor for anything that doesn't fit right-wing ideology. So Ms. DeVos, flawed as she is, will be unleashed to wreak havoc on our system.
Ms. DeVos is unfit for this position. She is not only massively ignorant about education and educational administration, she has huge conflicts of interest based on her institutional involvement in promoting for-profit K-12 education outside of the public school system. She is a dream candidate for those who want to privatize education in the US, and also for those who want to eliminate the Department of Education altogether.
We can do better--at least find someone who has some knowledge.
Ms. DeVos is unfit for this position. She is not only massively ignorant about education and educational administration, she has huge conflicts of interest based on her institutional involvement in promoting for-profit K-12 education outside of the public school system. She is a dream candidate for those who want to privatize education in the US, and also for those who want to eliminate the Department of Education altogether.
We can do better--at least find someone who has some knowledge.
15
“Poor Mrs. DeVos is a victim of her poor performance in her hearing,”. Really? She must have gone to a private school with no oversight!
17
Shame, shame, shame on those objecting to Ms. DeVos. America's children have suffered for far too long with the death grip the unions have on these poor children's schools. Shame.
3
You might have a point if for-profit schools were always substantially better than public schools, Prof. Unfortunately...wrong!
5
Shame on you and on her for not understanding that IDEA is federal law. She wants a federal post, she must enforce federal law. This is non negotiable. And shame on you, too, NYT, for ignoring disabled people and their families' objections to DeVos.
3
"Poor Ms. DeVos" my foot! Poor Ms. Billionaire DeVos. The fact that Trump chose her just proves how absolutely little he actually cares for children or education unless it's his children and their education. Ms. DeVos is a wealthy contributor, and got the nod (A) because it would be payback for her help and (B) because it would drive the 'snowflake liberals' crazy. My feeling is that she was put in there to be torpedoed. All those other cabinet posts will likely cause damage, but who really understands what the Secretary of Energy does, or even Labor or Transportation? We know they do some nebulous work related to those topics, but what exactly, most people aren't sure. Education, however, touches on everyone with a child and the idea that our public schools could be put in jeopardy by an out-of-touch billionaire with absolutely NO experience in the public school system is an outrage. So...now, all our energy is concentrated on DeVos, while the other billionaires sail through their confirmations. After which, Trump will likely pick a more moderate person for the job of Education Secretary and voila. The important positions that mean something to Trump will be filled because liberals were all out their in their pink hats protesting DeVos.
10
According to Jeremy Scahill, her brother, the infamous Erik Prince, is apparently advising Trump behind close doors. Perhaps this is why she was selected- nepotism, cronyism.. all working together to make "Mercenaries Great Again".
14
I, a public charter school teacher, am doing everything in my power to ensure DeVos is not our next education secretary. DeVos not only demonstrates a dearth of knowledge and experience about public schools in general, but also an appalling ignorance and disregard for federal special education law. The landmark IDEA is what ensures our most vulnerable population of children in this country receive a free and appropriate public education, regardless of level of ability. Any republican with a spine or who cares about public education absolutely must vote no. Regardless of how "powerful" she is in terms of line of succession to presidency, the symbolism of a no vote is worth everything to those who care at all about public education.
15
Public Charter School. A contradiction in terms.
But who wins here?
Will public education be advanced or will Democrats see this as a notch in their belt (that is not a win).
Will public education be advanced or will Democrats see this as a notch in their belt (that is not a win).
1
The enemies of public education win if she's confirmed. Voting her down is not a "notch," it is a demand for a qualified nominee.
this notch will inspire inner city youth to even greater efforts in their studies!
If she is a bad choice and she loses the bid for the position, our children win - and so does the country. Assuming Trump can find a much better choice.
4
First I was surprised that the nominee was unable to answer basic questions during her de facto job interview. Then I was amazed at her cavalier attitude towards the proceedings as if they were unworthy of her giving serious consideration to her responses. When it became obvious she was as unfit as she appeared to be, I was outraged by the thought of her likely confirmation by a Republican majority
that was totally complicit in this process of undermining public education. Even the nomination of such a colossally under qualified person for consideration as the head of education is negligence on such a grand scale as to verge on the criminal. If education is truly the engine of our economy then handing her the keys is like riding shotgun in the car of a drunk driver.
that was totally complicit in this process of undermining public education. Even the nomination of such a colossally under qualified person for consideration as the head of education is negligence on such a grand scale as to verge on the criminal. If education is truly the engine of our economy then handing her the keys is like riding shotgun in the car of a drunk driver.
15
She is widely reviled here in Michigan for pushing a right-wing agenda with billions of Amway pyramid-scheme dollars. No one here respects her "concern" for education, which is a thinly masked desire to eradicate public schools. Her husband ran for governor and was soundly defeated and the ballot proposal in favor of school vouchers she bankrolled was also soundly rejected by Michigan voters.
20
Having children is probably the most common experience among all citizens, so the secretary of education position affects everybody more than any of the other cabinet positions. Letting a buffoon like Betsy DeVos buy her way into oversight of all of our children is beyond appalling. And it's going to happen unless another republican with a conscience is found in the senate. Get out there Diogenes!
10
its probably also a package deal in that you need tale both or none all---betty and her brother erik prince (blackwater). without erik one could easily imagine trump firing her already--not for what she is, but only for her poor "interview" performance,i.e., her con game just aint that good (a given requirement for these folk)!
8
The last Sec of Education, Dr. King was an inspiring champion of our diverse education system, from early childhood and K-12 programs to special ed services and higher education opportunities in area of need. As a public high school teacher, DeVos' education ideology (or blantabt lack there of) truly frightens me. With already dwindling resources, I can't see how funneling money away from public schools helps our children.
7
DeVos "jeered"?
How about: rightly criticized, ridiculed for ignorance, exposed as a know-nothing idealogue with vested monetary interests?
And, most of all, for being UTTERLY UNFIT to serve in the office for which she has been nominated!
How about: rightly criticized, ridiculed for ignorance, exposed as a know-nothing idealogue with vested monetary interests?
And, most of all, for being UTTERLY UNFIT to serve in the office for which she has been nominated!
62
I have seen almost no coverage of Neurocore, the company with which DeVos and her husband are closely involved. Neurocore offers a technology that purports to deal with ADHD and other educational problems through neurologically-based feedback. There is no research published in reputable journals to validate this approach. I have heard from a highly reputable source that the company's CEO is "a poseur" and the technique is "a scam." A minimal requirement for confirmation must be full divestment by the DeVos family of holdings in Neurocore.
18
The Times had an article on it earlier this week.
11
Unfortunately, DeVos represents many things that Trump is: unqualified, a billionaire, and disconnected. Her lack of ANY experience and knowledge baffles me. Being a philanthropist does not make you knowledgeable or able to do a job, just like running a corporation does not make you qualified to be president.
Mr. Trump claimed he would make the best choices for his cabinet. This choice was based on money. His so called 'drain the swamp' campaign is turning into a government of the ultra rich - go figure.
I am still shocked everyday by the ridiculous comments a decisions our president makes.
Mr. Trump claimed he would make the best choices for his cabinet. This choice was based on money. His so called 'drain the swamp' campaign is turning into a government of the ultra rich - go figure.
I am still shocked everyday by the ridiculous comments a decisions our president makes.
18
Can we trade a Devos nix for a smooth Gorsuch confirmation?
Is it realistic that Dems might confirm Sessions before a Devos vote, and therefore remove him from Rep voting pool?
Icky compromises, I know, but I'm just thinking about what's achievable.
Is it realistic that Dems might confirm Sessions before a Devos vote, and therefore remove him from Rep voting pool?
Icky compromises, I know, but I'm just thinking about what's achievable.
1
Neither one is acceptable, so, no.
10
no. No trade for Gorsuch. Democrats have never gotten points for compromise.
7
When Tom Price was having his hearing, a member of the HELP committee stated that it made sense to have a physician be the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
So one would think that having someone with educational experience lead the helm of the Department of Education but the members of the same committee feel otherwise.
This is just as bad if not worse than when Cathie Black was selected as the Chancellor for NYC schools.
So one would think that having someone with educational experience lead the helm of the Department of Education but the members of the same committee feel otherwise.
This is just as bad if not worse than when Cathie Black was selected as the Chancellor for NYC schools.
8
Thank you to the distinguished senators from Maine and Alaska who have shown the moral courage, independence and intelligence to speak up against Mrs. DeVos. Although the two party system has historically been a source of strength for the United States, providing meaningful discourse, this is no longer true. Putting forth candidates who display ignorance and even contempt for the departments they have been selected to lead is insulting to all Americans - Democrats and Republicans alike. Are there really no other Republican senators who willing to stand up for education and the environment, if nothing else? Shame on what used to be the GOP. Republicans have nothing to be proud about.
17
I do not know what the future of public education is, but I do know that the Randi Weingarten method has been a failure to the students the AFT purports to care about. Time for a change.
5
Betsy DeVos is not that change.
7
This is what happens when you prioritize ideology over knowledge. It does not matter what she or Trump or Tillerson know. What matters is what ideology, prejudices, preconceptions, religion, color of skin or how much money they have. All the latter makes them qualify. Knowledge, fairness, objectivity are useless this time.
7
Selecting the most ignorant incompetent inexperienced among Trump nominees like Betsy DeVos, Ben Carson, Nikki Haley, Jared Kushner, Stephen Miller, Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus, Rick Perry and Steven Bannon requires the wisdom of Solomon and the humble moral humane empathetic insight of Jesus Christ.
Betsy DeVos will be as antagonistic to public school education as were Arne Duncan, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama.
Betsy DeVos will be as antagonistic to public school education as were Arne Duncan, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama.
3
DeVos has proven to be 100% percent ignorant about our public school system, our education laws and policies, and the students who attend public schools.
Clearly she thinks that because she and her family shelled out millions of dollars to buy her supporter, she should get the job. There is no other reason.
Clearly she thinks that because she and her family shelled out millions of dollars to buy her supporter, she should get the job. There is no other reason.
27
"There are not enough philanthropic dollars in America to fund what is currently the need in education...Our desire is to confront the culture in ways that will continue to advance God's kingdom." ~Betsey DeVos.
'Nuff said. Next!
'Nuff said. Next!
31
Anyone who saw her blank expression during the questioning knows that she might be the most intellectually bankrupt of the bunch. And that's saying a lot!
35
method acting?
1
Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education? Well she must be smoking something really good.
7
If Senators Collins and Murkowski were serious about preventing Ms. DeVos from being confirmed why did they vote in favor of sending her nomination to the full senate? Either one of them could have killed her nomination as the party line committee vote was 12 - 11. Their opposition is disingenuous at best. They can count and know that Pence can break the likely 50/50 tie, but they will be able to tell their constituents that they voted against her.
13
Sad. It's not easy to stand by your convictions, but if they changed their minds after the fact they should own it, if not, they should own that too.
I just read that the DeVos family contributed $60K to Senator Pat Toomey's (R-PA) campaign this past season. Toomey, and other senators who got similar contributions from DeVos, should recuse themselves from the vote. How is this not pay to play?
32
It absolutely is pay to play and Toomey has been bought. Have you been able to get through on any of his phone lines? Has he answered any of your emails? Of course not. He doesn't have to now that he's been reelected thanks to the DeVos family and Koch brothers.
11
Pay to play? It's rank bribery.
7
She's paying for people to send emails to support here! There's an astroturfing campaign going on right now. Offers on Prizerebel, swagbucks and I'm sure more. Also free to play games offering in game currency. She'll buy your support for $.45. Sell you're kids education now, and cash out for pennies on the dollar.
5
Is it well known that Betsy DeVos family contributed more than $937,000 to various Republican candidates who will now vote for her in the confirmation process? (See Huffington report for a list.) Will those Republicans recuse themselves from the vote, as they would if they had spines and an ethical bone in their bodies? Of course not. Mitch McConnell and Marco Rubio were a couple of the larger recipients.
137
We live in a country where our legislators feel they have been elected to serve themselves rather than their constituents. They live, and breathe for contributions, or lobby money, or as I call it, bribe money. The public be damned, and me first is their attitude. They have little or no regard for the poeple they are supposed to be legislating for. They vote for their pockets.
I have ZERO interest in seeing my tax dollars funnelled into some private school's bank account, PERIOD!
18
If confirmed, Betsy DeVos will decimate real estate values associated with homes that are located in school districts that currently have outstanding public schools. If you're a homeowner, and care about the value of your home, you should be troubled by the fact that DeVos will annihilate your local public school systems, and you should be very worried that the value of your home, which is based in part of local public schools, will drop dramatically (irrespective of where you live).
9
My home value literally cannot go any lower; it is at 70% LESS than in 2006, after I have lived here 31 years and paid off the mortgage.
My taxes, thanks to greedy public schools and levies, are the highest in the state. My school system is ranked 4th from last, "F" on state tests, and last year, ALL the third graders flunked the state reading test. ALL OF THEM.
So if you tell me that Ms. DeVos will decimate the local public schools..I will support her with every ounce of my heart & soul! I will march for her, write letters for her, support her to the max.
She is doing what needed to be done 30 years ago.
My taxes, thanks to greedy public schools and levies, are the highest in the state. My school system is ranked 4th from last, "F" on state tests, and last year, ALL the third graders flunked the state reading test. ALL OF THEM.
So if you tell me that Ms. DeVos will decimate the local public schools..I will support her with every ounce of my heart & soul! I will march for her, write letters for her, support her to the max.
She is doing what needed to be done 30 years ago.
1
Nothing will change in districts with great schools, those communities won't want to change. But home values might go doen because families won't be desparate to move to Scarsdale for a decent education.
@Anywheresville:
Your claims are unverifiable.
Use verifiable data to make your argument.
Your claims are unverifiable.
Use verifiable data to make your argument.
2
Charter schools were created the day after the Brown v Board of Education was passed down.
It's an archaic hold over from the whiney Jim Crow days of the traitorous confederacy.
It is a way to segregate poor black kids from rich white kids.
It is also just another attempt to sneak Jesus into school.
It's an archaic hold over from the whiney Jim Crow days of the traitorous confederacy.
It is a way to segregate poor black kids from rich white kids.
It is also just another attempt to sneak Jesus into school.
14
That's crazy. Charter schools are PUBLIC SCHOOLS; they cannot by law discriminate at all.
Most charters are in poor black areas, and enroll mostly poor black children. There are no "all white charters" that permit discrimination against black kids. It is BLACK PARENTS begging for charters, to get their kids out of the lousy, worthless public schools!
You are think of private ACADEMIES. They are NOT charter schools.
Most charters are in poor black areas, and enroll mostly poor black children. There are no "all white charters" that permit discrimination against black kids. It is BLACK PARENTS begging for charters, to get their kids out of the lousy, worthless public schools!
You are think of private ACADEMIES. They are NOT charter schools.
@Anywheresville:
Charter schools are funded with public money, but they get to pick and choose who they take. What do you think partly comprises the outcry against them?
The rest of your post lacks evidence and thus isn't worth addressing.
Charter schools are funded with public money, but they get to pick and choose who they take. What do you think partly comprises the outcry against them?
The rest of your post lacks evidence and thus isn't worth addressing.
2
Of course, DeVos has received lots of comments: She will shake-up the education system, which is a mess. Schools have problems across the board, (money spent on increasing teacher & admin pay with little performance benefit) with not enough completion! The teachers' brain wash the parents & so it goes!
1
Not to mention all those grizzly bears attacking the kids and the teachers! We need Betsy DeVos to protect the schools against those grizzly bears!
8
Then all schools in the US will resemble failing Michigan schools. Schools cropping up on every corner like bodegas. With no oversight or regulation.
4
Count me on the list concerned about a clearly imperfect candidate for this very important positition
9
Has it ever occurred to Mr. Trump to think before he speaks? This lashing out at everyone is really dangerous on so many levels, not just economically. Boy do I miss the dignity and restraint of the Obama administration. These people have no class. Donald himself is a compulsive provocateur. He is a terribly impatient man in a world ever more demanding of patience. When can we begin the impeachment process.
13
This doesn't have anything at all to do with "political theater, Mr. Whitehurst. The story here is that Betsy DeVos is grossly unfit to hold this office. She is an active foe of government policies designed to provide every child with equal opportunities to learn. The idea that for-profit schools can solve the problems of our education system is a scam, promoted by those whose only interest is in generating profits, not educating children. This nomination is simply a thinly veiled attempt to destroy our public education system, while increasing the influence of radical religious groups and right-wing ideologues.
17
I'm no fan of Voss, but at this point I will support any candidate at the Federal level that will fight the power of the teachers' unions. The Federal government has limited influence on K-12 ed (provides less than 10%) funding but has some influence. Here, at state level, the K-12 Superintendent, Tom Torlakson, is an apologetic union tool whose sole accomplishments have been eliminating teacher accountability, dumbing down the curriculum, eliminating high school exit exams while mouthing politically-correct pablum.
I have two kids in public school that are rated average, and I wish we had a voucher system. There are definitely some good teachers, but the indifference of the majority of the teachers and the arrogance of the rank bad ones (as well as the school administration) in middle and high schools in my district is staggering.
I don't blame the teachers' unions. They are doing their fiduciary duty off looking after the interests of their members (attempting to maximize compensation while minimizing labor and accountability). The fault is with the obtuse public who have drinking the koolaid that schools are in trouble but their school and teachers "are the best, the very best"!
If public schools are so good and charter and private schools are so awful, just give parents a choice. I'm all for the extra funding needed by public schools to accommodate students with disabilities but enable good students a challenging and stimulating environment through school choice.
I have two kids in public school that are rated average, and I wish we had a voucher system. There are definitely some good teachers, but the indifference of the majority of the teachers and the arrogance of the rank bad ones (as well as the school administration) in middle and high schools in my district is staggering.
I don't blame the teachers' unions. They are doing their fiduciary duty off looking after the interests of their members (attempting to maximize compensation while minimizing labor and accountability). The fault is with the obtuse public who have drinking the koolaid that schools are in trouble but their school and teachers "are the best, the very best"!
If public schools are so good and charter and private schools are so awful, just give parents a choice. I'm all for the extra funding needed by public schools to accommodate students with disabilities but enable good students a challenging and stimulating environment through school choice.
6
I agree with you about the state of the unions and education as a whole but the solution doesn't lie in getting someone with zero experience to run the department. She didn't even bother to prepare for her questioning. She thinks guns in schools is a good idea. She isn't familiar with ADA regulations. She's an heiress who herself never went to public school and never sent her kids to public school and wants everyone educated as a "Christian." DeVos just is not qualified to make the changes you'd like to see. A voucher system doesn't solve the root problems of the public school system.
7
If you have a problem with a state level admin (in CA) that is performing poorly, please do something at the state level. Run for office; support another candidate; fight the problem at your level. Please don't support a terrible candidate at the federal level and subject the rest of the states (us in TX) and force us to suffer to satisfy your local problem.
9
Despite the unions, school teachers are rather poorly paid and get little respect compared to the importance and difficulty of the job that is assigned to them: the education of our next generation of citizens. The US ranks dismally low compared to other nations in the education of our populace. Rather than siphoning off money to the private sector we should be investing in better education and commensurate compensation for better teachers. Perhaps then we could attract better, harder workers into education and also end the tenure system that protects the lazy and incompetent. of course, just like illegal immigration or the environment, solving these problems costs money and both sides of the aisle and the voting public are unwilling to invest any money or heavy lifting.
3
Look, first we had Rick Perry. All he knows about the Energy Department is what he learned at his confirmation hearing.
We're already over our allotment for know-nothings in the cabinet -- NO on Betsy DeVos!
We're already over our allotment for know-nothings in the cabinet -- NO on Betsy DeVos!
31
Bernie was right: no one would care about what Ms. DeVos thought about any of this were she not very wealthy.
33
That's just it- she doesn't "think"!
1
Al Darken came right out and said it
His first questions was how much money has her family funneled to the gop over the years.
$200 million was the number she agreed upon but it is probably way more.
His second question was perfect.
He said if she hasn't given the gop a cool $1/4 of a billion would she be sitting in that seat today.
DeVos, doing her best Kellyann Conway impression said of course.
In spite of DeVos having no teaching experience, having never gone to public school herself and having zero college degrees in education she still thinks she is the perfect choice.
PS
Her state finished 48th out of 50th while she headed Michigan's education department.
His first questions was how much money has her family funneled to the gop over the years.
$200 million was the number she agreed upon but it is probably way more.
His second question was perfect.
He said if she hasn't given the gop a cool $1/4 of a billion would she be sitting in that seat today.
DeVos, doing her best Kellyann Conway impression said of course.
In spite of DeVos having no teaching experience, having never gone to public school herself and having zero college degrees in education she still thinks she is the perfect choice.
PS
Her state finished 48th out of 50th while she headed Michigan's education department.
Yes, she's truly awful, but also no worse than Rex Tillerson, who's poised to damage not just the USA but the planet.
11
Rex Tillerson, like Donald Trump, has had only one employer. He worked his whole career at one company that prefers to hire band new engineering graduates fresh out of school before they learn any bad habits at lesser companies, and promotes from within.
3
A shameless political hack who doesn't even know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is. To me, perhaps the worst thing is how she gives charter schools a bad name. Charter schools are public schools -- they are open to the public and they are funded with public money. When held accountable they can outperform public schools that are burdened with excessive restrictions. Success Academy and KIPS are two examples. Success Academy took a lot of heat for a video of a vile and disgusting teacher, but having worked for years in public schools, I've seen worse. I remember entering a school in upper Manhattan one morning and finding a dean at the entrance, repeating "Welfare to the left, SSI to the right" over and over as some kind of joke. Too bad I didn't video that!
I find it interesting that people who are pro-choice for unborn children take the opposite view once they are born and need to select a school. But people like DeVos will stain the whole movement's reputation. Get her out of there.
I find it interesting that people who are pro-choice for unborn children take the opposite view once they are born and need to select a school. But people like DeVos will stain the whole movement's reputation. Get her out of there.
13
Ms. DeVos has flitted from one cause to the next..as they occupy her limited attention span. The Secretary of Education (SecEd) is not a dilettante's on-the-job training program. The SecEd budget exceeds $73 Billion dollars. Do we really want an untested and inexperienced person responsible for $73 Billion dollars of our taxpayer money and the responsibility for our children's education?
Ms. DeVos has not any experience working with or in the public education discipline...as an manager or as a teacher. In testimoney, she has demonstrated she knows little about the laws, practices, and customs of the public education system. Like the occupant of the White House, she is untested and unprepared for the position of Secretary of Education. How many more political offices do you want to risk before we all risk some collapse of the Federal Government or invasion by foreign cyber forces?
Finally, recognize the deep and broad body of knowledge the Secretary of Education must know to master for his or her important job.
Right now....telephone, email, or write your US Senator and tell him or her your opinion. Add the POTUS to let him know you want a skilled, knowledgeable, and competent person as Secretary of Education and not a wealthy dilettante supported with her husband's inherited money.
Ms. DeVos has not any experience working with or in the public education discipline...as an manager or as a teacher. In testimoney, she has demonstrated she knows little about the laws, practices, and customs of the public education system. Like the occupant of the White House, she is untested and unprepared for the position of Secretary of Education. How many more political offices do you want to risk before we all risk some collapse of the Federal Government or invasion by foreign cyber forces?
Finally, recognize the deep and broad body of knowledge the Secretary of Education must know to master for his or her important job.
Right now....telephone, email, or write your US Senator and tell him or her your opinion. Add the POTUS to let him know you want a skilled, knowledgeable, and competent person as Secretary of Education and not a wealthy dilettante supported with her husband's inherited money.
12
She unqualified and will be disastrous for public education. But so is Rick Perry, so unqualified for his job he didn't know what it was and this is after he forgot what it was that he wanted demolished. She is not worse than him. But she is a woman so she is treated more harshly, not surprisingly by Bernie Sanders also.
10
I don't know if it's because she's a woman. I think people might be concerned about their kids.
5
That's ridiculous. She's being treated harshly because she's ignorant, greedy and dishonest.
their kids' brains
If you think DeVos is unqualified, just wait until you see JR Perry in action.
15
I wonder if he'll ever learn the correct pronunciation of "nuclear".
3
Apparently, in Texas it's pronounced "nucular". That's how W always pronounced it too!
1
Toward a stronger more relevant media: When referring to fax-free right wing propaganda macines like the Brookings Institute and the Enterprise Institute, please call them that.
Most readers don't understand that those "Institutes" are fronts to avoid taxes when the super wealthy donate big sums of money to support people who are being groomed like kitchen cabinets to influence and take over the government. We need our media to help us start eliminating the influence of money in politics and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The only way to do this is to inform voters. The Times has an obligation to keep all voters who can read well informed enough to vote in their own best interests. Call those right wing fronts with special tax privileges out for what they are - a way of shielding rich people's income by diverting large sums to supporting right wing causes. Kellyanne Conway has lived off such "Enterprises" and "Institutes" since she graduated from law school.
Most readers don't understand that those "Institutes" are fronts to avoid taxes when the super wealthy donate big sums of money to support people who are being groomed like kitchen cabinets to influence and take over the government. We need our media to help us start eliminating the influence of money in politics and the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The only way to do this is to inform voters. The Times has an obligation to keep all voters who can read well informed enough to vote in their own best interests. Call those right wing fronts with special tax privileges out for what they are - a way of shielding rich people's income by diverting large sums to supporting right wing causes. Kellyanne Conway has lived off such "Enterprises" and "Institutes" since she graduated from law school.
14
Other than the unearned wealth that got her the nomination, DeVos totally lacks experience or training (should I even say "education") for the job. She's a proponent of Creationism disguised as "intelligent design" in natural science, and would have voted with the jury in the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. She has waged a constant campaign against public education in Michigan in the name of her religion (a form of Calvinist predestinarianism which holds that the rich deserve their wealth because it's a sign that they are God's Elect), as well as "schools of choice" that take public tax money and divert it to private schools. Her family are tax cheats (Amway), and her brother ran a for-profit mercenary army. I'm sure she'd have no idea what "E pluribus unum" signifies. Maybe she should have been given a standardized test rather than let this farce go forward. A lot of Congressman should, too.
29
Betsy DeVos is a terrible candidate to head the Dept. of Ed. but not as bad as some of Trump's other picks for dept heads. I'm so glad some senate women on both sides of the aisle are not endorsing her. Still, I can see why she is the most vilified of all the candidates for depts Trump has put forth. Like Hillary Clinton, no matter her merits or demerits, she is after all a woman and thus her shortcomings and faults are enraging to most who cringe at the thought that a woman could aspire to such an authoritative position. What was it Mitt Romney said to Shannon O'Brien when she ran against him for governor of Massachusetts, "You're not being ladylike!"
6
Hi Elizabeth. I really thought about this. I almost agree, but I believe it is because Education touches people's lives and personal memories in a way that the other appointments do not. Education is a big touchstone for the existing greatness of America. One must truly believe that the current USA is awful if you want such a disastrous person to head our Education department. Education is something we all understand and have gone through. When a stupid person is nominated to define what "Education" means for this country, IT IS A PERSONAL INSULT TO YOU AS AN INTELLIGENT AND EDUCATED PERSON. It triggers a gut reaction. If she were the nominee for National Security Adviser, I honestly doubt she would have this reaction to deal with. Instead, she is a dagger pointed right at your children's brains. We don't smoke marijuana when we are pregnant, and we don't allow total plutocrat morons to oversee our school system. This is YOUR CHILDREN we are talking about. A man with such a simpleminded outlook on Education would have been similarly opposed. If she were the nominee for Energy, or Agriculture, she would have sailed right through, because people don't "really care' like they do for Education.
3
I have thought of all of those things you point out, too. As a woman, it's hard not to. But I try to look past gender and as stupid and useless as all of the choices Trump has made are, DeVos made the least possible effort during her questioning. She actually sat there, silently, not even answering the questions! I mean, she did not even bother to prepare to LOOK qualified. Also, has she ever even had a real job?
3
I understand what you're saying tinyvox and atb, how absolutely critical education is to the future of our children, the country and the world. Still, if we have a National Security Advisor who is so impulsive and irritable he could catapult us into a nuclear war, all our education would be of no avail. Accordingly, if our EPA head accedes to our water supply containing arsenic, mercury and lead, how can our children's brains function well enough to learn? Such choices are all untenable: nuclear death, brain death or intellectually comatose?
she bought her dunce cap, education be damned...
14
She is eminently unqualified. Any Senator voting to affirm her is unqualified too. Do not let partisan politics cloud over your judgement Senators. She failed her job interview.
How many of your office employees failed their interview yet you hired them Senators? I bet zero. Do the same on this nomination!
PS. I wonder if she is one of those really rich miserable people Donald Trump was talking about?
How many of your office employees failed their interview yet you hired them Senators? I bet zero. Do the same on this nomination!
PS. I wonder if she is one of those really rich miserable people Donald Trump was talking about?
19
All of them who gave Trump a pass on disclosing his tax returns are unqualified.
Donald the Unvetted now vets them all.
Donald the Unvetted now vets them all.
7
Unfortunately, in the USA everything can be bought and has a price. Education is not a right anymore. It is just another good or service to buy just as health. If they could, they would even privatize Justice. Why they don't just close all the Districts and sell them all to McGraw Hill or other?
10
Quality of education is closely linked to location in the US. Americans self-select where to live based on their own priorities. Many will sacrifice to put their children through better schools in areas with higher taxes and real estate costs.
4
Most of the comments are from people whose basic assumption is wrong.
They are assuming the question is whether DeVos is qualified and whether her proposals will improve education.
DeVos is part of that conservative group that believes too much money is spent on public education, particularly the education of OTHER peoples' children. . One way to reduce spending on public education is to bust the teachers' unions.
Before the women's movement jobs for women were limited . Many talented women became teachers.Being female they could be and were paid low salaries. That pool of cheap labor no longer exists. To attract qualified teachers means teacher salaries must increase.
But Mrs. DeVos does not care about public education.
She just wants to decrease spending on public education.
So does Trump which was why he nominated her.
They are assuming the question is whether DeVos is qualified and whether her proposals will improve education.
DeVos is part of that conservative group that believes too much money is spent on public education, particularly the education of OTHER peoples' children. . One way to reduce spending on public education is to bust the teachers' unions.
Before the women's movement jobs for women were limited . Many talented women became teachers.Being female they could be and were paid low salaries. That pool of cheap labor no longer exists. To attract qualified teachers means teacher salaries must increase.
But Mrs. DeVos does not care about public education.
She just wants to decrease spending on public education.
So does Trump which was why he nominated her.
23
If we're really going to privatize public education, why not turn to past practice (Iraq, Afghanistan) and turn the schools over to Blackwater, Triple Canopy and other private contractors who have proven experience in educating so many non-Americans in the ways of free market warfare? It would certainly solve the problem of guns in the schools and the whole discipline-through-abject-terror thing just might work. Graduating classes would be smaller through attrition, but there's the student-to-teacher ratio issue to be considered. And the deVos family would still be involved.
5
Time for John McCain to stand by his 2008 campaign theme, "Country First." His vote on DeVos can make all the difference.
37
Right on! Time for John to step up.
10
Don't hold your breath. I once had some respect for the man, as he exhibited an independent streak uncommon in the Republican Party, but he has proven himself to be completely dishonorable and anti-American with his vow to oppose ANY Supreme Courts picks made by Hillary Clinton, if she became President. Senator McCain is now merely another right wing tool who puts the interests of his Party above those of the country.
DeVos wants to destroy education so that she could have an army of ignorant young people to work for her pyramid schemes.
23
We live in a time when the issues we face are increasingly complex and will only become more challenging as the human population increases on a finite planet. We need our national leaders to be knowledgeable and wise about the problems we face and earnestly invested in solving them. We need our national education system to encourage creativity, perspective, and persistence in our children; they need strong foundations in science, math, language, history, arts... These will be the children who face climate change head on; who will make the next discoveries in our great human adventure. DeVos fails the test at the most basic level. She cannot become the voice that guides our national education system.
14
She's a terrible choice obviously for Education Secretary - don't get me wrong. But the mocking focus on her to the exclusion of the many other terrible choices, with as this piece points out much more power, is once again a demonstration of the deep-seated misogyny even among women and on the left. Its FUN to savage her in a way that it isn't for the other nominees who look like successful, powerful men.
7
It is fun to savage her because she has savaged public education in Detroit.
14
After seeing this post, I read through the article again and some of the other comments and I don't seeing anybody mocking or savaging her. She's become a lightening rod for all that's wrong with the Trump Administration because it's so very obvious that she :bought" the position. Yes, it is completely inappropriate to mock her because she is a woman if that was the case. But it's not. She has a lot of issues that disqualify her for the job. To not discuss them because she IS a woman is just as equally hypocritical and equally inappropriate.
6
You might be right. On the other hand, education is something that almost all Americans have direct experience with and some knowledge of. Contrast that with the functions of the EPA, or the Department of Energy, for example. But I do think that we must be at least as persistent in our attempts to deny the hacks that are poised to head the other more powerful agencies. My own list begins with blocking Puzder as head of the Department of Labor, as nothing is more fundamental than fair wages and workplace protections.
4
Education may only count for 3% of the federal budget today, but DeVos would drive that percentage down even further.
Because of her stated mission of destruction of our public school system, education becomes one of our most critical cabinet appointments. Only with education are we able to reverse this frightening trend of ignorance and hate undermining our government and destroying our democracy.
Because of her stated mission of destruction of our public school system, education becomes one of our most critical cabinet appointments. Only with education are we able to reverse this frightening trend of ignorance and hate undermining our government and destroying our democracy.
10
Many parents are dismayed and opposed to Betsy DeVos to head Education.
The article should properly reflect the multitude of parents - on their own, unaffiliated with any group - who have contacted their senators to express that Betsy DeVos is unfit, unqualified and uninterested in the education of our children.
The article should properly reflect the multitude of parents - on their own, unaffiliated with any group - who have contacted their senators to express that Betsy DeVos is unfit, unqualified and uninterested in the education of our children.
15
let's make Americans more ignorant!
13
Is it even possible?
2
Too late.
2
The teachers' unions are expert at mobilizing their troops.
The education system in the U.S. is failing most of our children. Giving people (in this case parents) as much choice as possible is always a good thing. In the UK almost all schools are private, but government financed. It seems to work, at least much better than our system. Let's give it a try.
It won't work in rural Alaska. No solution works everywhere. But if it works in some places, it should be done in those places.
The education system in the U.S. is failing most of our children. Giving people (in this case parents) as much choice as possible is always a good thing. In the UK almost all schools are private, but government financed. It seems to work, at least much better than our system. Let's give it a try.
It won't work in rural Alaska. No solution works everywhere. But if it works in some places, it should be done in those places.
4
I doubt it would be possible to teach about evolution in the US without teacher's unions.
9
Would you please source your statement that the US education system is failing most of our children? Additionally, kindly source your claim that 'almost all schools' in the UK are private.
"Let's give it a try" means yet another experiment with someone else's children. Education should not be about experimenting with human lives. It should be based upon researched and carefully laid-out strategies. Throwing an entire generation of children under the bus to see if one unqualified rich woman can actually do a job for the first time in her privileged life is not an acceptable strategy.
"Let's give it a try" means yet another experiment with someone else's children. Education should not be about experimenting with human lives. It should be based upon researched and carefully laid-out strategies. Throwing an entire generation of children under the bus to see if one unqualified rich woman can actually do a job for the first time in her privileged life is not an acceptable strategy.
6
Uneducated, willfully ignorant, and negligent parents are failing their children and the children who responsible parents send to public school. The schools are pretty much doing the best they can. When schools have to feed, clean, and find warm winter clothes for the youngsters they're supposed to be teaching, you have a parent problem not an education system problem.
5
Betsy DeVos will throw our children under the school bus. Vote NO!
21
One of our senators, Mr. Toomey R-PA - newly re-elected thanks to rich corporate people such DeVos and her family directly and through PACs, has not bothered to delete his voicemail. We have not been able to get through to any of his office numbers for days now. It seems like he has decided to inform us that he no longer wishes to hear from us, in a most passive-aggressive way. He was not my pick, and I would like our state to get together and force him out.
23
They really do play "Gotcha!" under this system that has no way to call snap elections when the incumbent administration has lost all credibility.
6
I'm with you. His late surge during his campaign for reelection last year was thanks to money from DeVos and the Koch Brothers. He is obviously deep in debt to both and will continue to do their bidding.
It is shameful that he is bought and paid for by these billionaires, while we, his "constituents" sit by and watch PA continue to fall apart. I agree it's time to force him out and get rid of Citizens United. It's time to return to "We the people."
It is shameful that he is bought and paid for by these billionaires, while we, his "constituents" sit by and watch PA continue to fall apart. I agree it's time to force him out and get rid of Citizens United. It's time to return to "We the people."
9
It seems impossible for anyone in Pennsylvania to reach him, you are not alone. Other commenters on other sites also report blocked voicemails and no response to any other form of communication. He has just been re-elected so presumably he doesn't care - he has six years to go and feels safe. He cannot be bothered about constituent concerns. He has some feeble, wishy-washy posts on his website, but that is it.
Perhaps the Times can do a story on Toomey, the disappearing Senator who could care less about his constituents.
Perhaps the Times can do a story on Toomey, the disappearing Senator who could care less about his constituents.
10
Is it arrogance or stupidity that would lead someone to interview for a job without a basic idea what that job entails?
30
The real point here is that the Republican cabal that has taken over our government doesn't actually want someone to "do the job." As with the EPA, they want someone who will wreck the place, so that they can then repeat their mantra that "government doesn't work," and dispense with the department all together. Her nomination has everything to do with privatization and nothing at all to do with education.
162
Government strategy: Divest from public schools, watch them collapse, point to their collapse as proof that they don't work and that we need other options. Meanwhile, kids from poor families and neighborhoods get lost in the shuffle.
20
I haven't really understood this antipathy to DeVos since it began appearing in Congress. But, then, the public education unions DO still pull a lot of weight with liberals, and they're the only ones who have anything to fear from DeVos.
I was sure that the BIG press to deny a cabinet seat would be applied to Sessions, whom I believe is unsuited for the PARTICULAR role of AG. But, clearly, Sessions has too many friends in the Senate and is going to be confirmed one way or another. DeVos gets the nod as the nominee behind whom ALL Democratic efforts at "resistance" and revenge over Judge Garland are authorized to concentrate.
But be careful in your desperation, Mr. Schumer. When you do something like this and LOSE, you look UTTERLY defeated.
I was sure that the BIG press to deny a cabinet seat would be applied to Sessions, whom I believe is unsuited for the PARTICULAR role of AG. But, clearly, Sessions has too many friends in the Senate and is going to be confirmed one way or another. DeVos gets the nod as the nominee behind whom ALL Democratic efforts at "resistance" and revenge over Judge Garland are authorized to concentrate.
But be careful in your desperation, Mr. Schumer. When you do something like this and LOSE, you look UTTERLY defeated.
1
Actually it is parents who are opposed to Betsy DeVos - and have galvanized to express their opinion.
As a parent whose children have attended public and private school, it is clear to me that Ms. DeVos is completely unfit for the position and has no interest in education of our children.
It is incorrect to characterize this as a teachers/union issue.
But perhaps you are not a parent and thus lack direct knowledge on this topic?
As a parent whose children have attended public and private school, it is clear to me that Ms. DeVos is completely unfit for the position and has no interest in education of our children.
It is incorrect to characterize this as a teachers/union issue.
But perhaps you are not a parent and thus lack direct knowledge on this topic?
8
To Richard Luettgen:
Those who will be defeated by the appointment of Ms. DeVos are the school children of the USA! We are already low in our ranking of education compared with other countries, must we become even more ineffective by making education a for profit system, rather than a public right! And how about the education of the handicapped children, who will be lost in this scheme? Protect the rights of our children to receive public education of quality, including the handicapped, within their local juristrictions, rather than receive out of their neighborhood education, that will be substandard and profit no one but the profiteers.
Those who will be defeated by the appointment of Ms. DeVos are the school children of the USA! We are already low in our ranking of education compared with other countries, must we become even more ineffective by making education a for profit system, rather than a public right! And how about the education of the handicapped children, who will be lost in this scheme? Protect the rights of our children to receive public education of quality, including the handicapped, within their local juristrictions, rather than receive out of their neighborhood education, that will be substandard and profit no one but the profiteers.
7
I'm not a parent but I understand the concern over DeVos.
3
In the private sector, if you show up unprepared and/or with questionable qualifications for an interview, the people doing the hiring move on to another candidate. SHE FAILED HER JOB INTERVIEW. It's literally that simple. Partisanship has nothing to do with it.
322
You obviously haven't met many executives who've lived up to the Peter Principle.
2
She acted like she was being interviewed for a country club membership at her confirmation hearings.... Her ignorance was appalling.
1
Ms DeVos strikes me as someone entirely unaccustomed to being held accountable for anything whatsoever. She didn't even seem to know to be embarrassed by her non-answers, or that she wasn't fooling anybody. This ought to be the lowest hanging fruit for Republicans to reject, pat themselves on the back, and carry on confirming the rest of TrumpBannon's execrable crew.
So she doesn't know the subject, flunked the exam and the Repubs give her a passing grade. #WhiteAffirmativeAction
28
True, but even more important is #RichAffirmativeAction or maybe #BillionaireAffirmativeAction.
It's the right-wing-nut wealthfare system at work. The ones that do flunk out get highly compensated jobs as consultants, commentators, or directors. See: Eric Cantor as well as many others.
It's the right-wing-nut wealthfare system at work. The ones that do flunk out get highly compensated jobs as consultants, commentators, or directors. See: Eric Cantor as well as many others.
2
I called the offices of Senators Joe Donnelly (D) and Todd Young (R) to ask that they vote "no" on Devos (and Andrew Puzder for Secretary of Labor). Both calls went to voicemail and I was not able to leave a message for Senator Donnelly (mailbox was full). This is the first time I have called a congressional office to express my views on anything, but I just could not stay silent on Devos.
11
Earlier this week, my senator, Thom Tillis, said he was "on the fence" about Betsy DeVoss and urged his constituents to call his office so their voices could be heard. I called. Or at least I tried. No one ever answered. So I posted by concerns on his Facebook account. So did hundreds of other North Carolinians. I read many of them -- 53 in fact. All of them spoke against DeVoss. Finally, No. 54 supported her appointment. Apparently that one supporter outweighed the rest of us because Sen. Tillis voted in support oif Mrs. Devoss. Then again, it could have been the $70,200 Mrs. Devoss donated to Sen. Tillis's campaign that swayed him. In Education, like politics, money talks.
21
Everyone I knew asked our Senator Cory Gardner to vote against this lady.
I later saw an article that he thinks all the calls he is getting are from "paid outsiders". The cynicism of the GOP right now is anti-American. I don't know how else to label a senator actually upset that constituents participate in their own governance. Ugly times.
I later saw an article that he thinks all the calls he is getting are from "paid outsiders". The cynicism of the GOP right now is anti-American. I don't know how else to label a senator actually upset that constituents participate in their own governance. Ugly times.
When it comes to education the GOP and people like DeVos are all about the money.
That's morally reprehensible.
That's morally reprehensible.
11
We don't even need the Education Department as a free standing bureaucracy. Pull her nomination. Downsize the department drastically and fold it into another bureaucracy. Every state has a department of education and education should be operated and funded at the local and state level.
Once local educators take money from the Feds they have made a deal with the devil. They are now obliged to do what the Feds say or the states will loose the funding of which they will inevitably become dependant. This is OK if you're party is in power, but not so much if you're party is out of power.
Once local educators take money from the Feds they have made a deal with the devil. They are now obliged to do what the Feds say or the states will loose the funding of which they will inevitably become dependant. This is OK if you're party is in power, but not so much if you're party is out of power.
5
Every unequal protection of law in the US inures to the benefit state-level influence-peddlers.
2
While more No votes would sink the DeVos nomination, so would Republican senators voting Present, which is an option that might be more feasible for some of them individually. A vote tally of 50 Nay, 49 Yea, 1 Present cannot be salvaged by the Vice President.
John McCain, 80, has just begun a 6th term. Surely, he should be a candidate to vote Present, if DeVos persists in remaining the nominee. As should Lamar Alexander, a former Secretary of Education.
John McCain, 80, has just begun a 6th term. Surely, he should be a candidate to vote Present, if DeVos persists in remaining the nominee. As should Lamar Alexander, a former Secretary of Education.
13
In the 1950s, my mother, a bank trust department employee, was happy to pay the tuition for me and my three sisters to attend a Catholic school because she felt so strongly about us getting a Catholic education, even though we lived in an upscale neighborhod in Alamo Heights, Texas, where John Cornyn once made his home. She would never had said that the government should pay her to provide us with an alternative to public education.
Religious extremists who demand government sjpport for their choice for a religious school for their children should be made to make the same sacrifice and not get on the public dole.
Religious extremists who demand government sjpport for their choice for a religious school for their children should be made to make the same sacrifice and not get on the public dole.
22
Your mother paid twice for your education. By not only paying toward the operation of public schools, she also relieved them of the cost of educating you. She SHOULD have been paid an amount up to what a public school would have spent on a secular education.
1
No, LCA, I will not allow my taxes to be used to promote religion.
Would you pay for a school that tells children, from pre-school onward, that there is no god? Or how about schools that accept only LGBT students?
Would you pay for a school that tells children, from pre-school onward, that there is no god? Or how about schools that accept only LGBT students?
I'm sorry to be rude--but she's a dope, an embarrassment to the central goal of all education: knowledge. Trump would be well-advised to pull her--unless, of course, she represents another Trump goal: ignorance.
35
Well, she fulfills another apparent requirement:
She's a billionaire.
Once again, the best government money can buy.
She's a billionaire.
Once again, the best government money can buy.
9
Amway sure thrives on ignorance.
6
Bingo!
1
I have always been a strong supporter of public education, but recent experiences have changed my mind.
Several months ago I thought I would like to do some substitute teaching in San Diego. Thirteen office visits, 3 emails and innumerable phone calls later, I have still not finished the application process. Because I have encountered indifference and even hostility towards myself and even towards the educational process itself, I no longer wish to work for San Diego public schools-and cannot recommend them.
Several months ago I thought I would like to do some substitute teaching in San Diego. Thirteen office visits, 3 emails and innumerable phone calls later, I have still not finished the application process. Because I have encountered indifference and even hostility towards myself and even towards the educational process itself, I no longer wish to work for San Diego public schools-and cannot recommend them.
3
I've a professional sales exec for 30 years.
In order to penetrate an institution, it takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. If you really want to teach -- and you sound like you'd be good at it -- hang in there.
In order to penetrate an institution, it takes a lot of work and a lot of patience. If you really want to teach -- and you sound like you'd be good at it -- hang in there.
5
“In rural Alaska, there is one school, and that’s the hub of the community,” said Alyse Galvin, a mother of four and a founder of Great Alaska Schools, which has organized opposition in the state to Ms. DeVos. “That’s where people hang. It’s where the warmth is. In some of these places, it’s where the only running water is.”
If the school is so important and the hub of the community, what is the concern about virtual schools? Is it only the hub if there is no other choice?
If the school is so important and the hub of the community, what is the concern about virtual schools? Is it only the hub if there is no other choice?
For-profit education---hmmm? The U.S. has a for-profit health care system, and how's that working? No thank you.
14
Maybe we the people should have taken up a collection (bake sales, etc.) and bought this position ourselves so we could place someone competent in charge.
8
I fear for our country and the elected congress that rubber stamps the whims of a mentally ill, vengeful, childish, ignorant and selfish president.
How is it that these fools with their patriotic flag lapel pins vote like lemmings and march us all out to sea.
I hope all of you that stayed home or couldn't bring yourself to vote for "her" now realize how you have destroyed the future of our country, poisoned our children and doomed our retirement.
How is it that these fools with their patriotic flag lapel pins vote like lemmings and march us all out to sea.
I hope all of you that stayed home or couldn't bring yourself to vote for "her" now realize how you have destroyed the future of our country, poisoned our children and doomed our retirement.
13
What a frighteningly sad comment on a president who would nominate so many incompetent people for high office. DeVos is a terrible choice, but worse than her utter unpreparedness is the utter unpreparedness of the man who nominated her - and is now "veering" in his diplomatic relations with Israel, to site a front-page headline. Is anybody at the wheel?
11
I am gazing at the photo accompanying this article.
Given the demographics that most heavily populate Trump supporters, and what I am surrounded by on a daily basis, how refreshing it is to see not one, but two, older white males holding up signs that reflect the mood of most of the country: equality, mercy, justice, and fairness.
Thank you, gentlemen, whoever you are.
Given the demographics that most heavily populate Trump supporters, and what I am surrounded by on a daily basis, how refreshing it is to see not one, but two, older white males holding up signs that reflect the mood of most of the country: equality, mercy, justice, and fairness.
Thank you, gentlemen, whoever you are.
13
I am not opposed to Ms. DeVos because she has never run a school, or sent her kids to public school. There are plenty of great candidates for this job who wouldn't meet those requirements, and I don't think they're necessary. However, her confirmation hearings demonstrated that she has not put sufficient effort into preparing for the role she has been offered. She was not just ignorant of major policy debates in education, but ignorant that she was ignorant. She also demonstrated contempt for the American public school system and the importance to a functioning democracy of providing a basic minimum standard education to all citizens. Her unwillingness to support equal standards for public and charter schools is disqualifying. If America goes down the road of using government dollars to fund unregulated religious academies then, in my opinion, we will be no different from Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or any other country we frequently criticize for sending kids to religious schools where they learn nothing but ideology. And without a shared curriculum, the divides we see in this country will only accelerate.
249
Amen, DRG!
The level of corruption in our country is beyond belief.
Our "representatives" are appointing people to posts who want to destroy the agencies they run, in most cases, because the agencies protect the people from their financially predatory behavior.
They are mostly billionaires who are saying (insincerely) that they want to serve the country.
This is a crime that is going on in plain sight - These are selfish, greedy people who are out to take advantage of the American People.
The system is broken beyond recognition.
And the sad part is that the American People have learned to accept it as "just the way things are".
It needs to change.
Our "representatives" are appointing people to posts who want to destroy the agencies they run, in most cases, because the agencies protect the people from their financially predatory behavior.
They are mostly billionaires who are saying (insincerely) that they want to serve the country.
This is a crime that is going on in plain sight - These are selfish, greedy people who are out to take advantage of the American People.
The system is broken beyond recognition.
And the sad part is that the American People have learned to accept it as "just the way things are".
It needs to change.
11
Reponse to Grove:
It does need to chnge, and WE THE PEOPLE, must continue to fight for change. Make your voice heard against this administration! If you capitulate, or give into feeling helpless, we are like sheep.
It does need to chnge, and WE THE PEOPLE, must continue to fight for change. Make your voice heard against this administration! If you capitulate, or give into feeling helpless, we are like sheep.
4
I'd just like to point out that it is two courageous Republican women who are fighting this nomination. Where are the courageous Republican men? MIA.
21
Money talks !!
Um, I mean, money is speech.
Um, I mean, money is speech.
4
Mrs. DeVos champions a failed management approach to doing government work.
Contracting out of set-aside deals with little contract supervision.
The result is generally large contractor profit margins and poor contractor performance. Here, state and city schools are the losers.
John Boehner fought budget set-aside agreements within the House of Representatives and he won.
Contracting out of set-aside deals with little contract supervision.
The result is generally large contractor profit margins and poor contractor performance. Here, state and city schools are the losers.
John Boehner fought budget set-aside agreements within the House of Representatives and he won.
3
As the wise and esteemed writer, Alice Walker said: "The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." EVERYONE who opposes Betsy DeVos Cabinet Appointment needs to call and / or email their Senator now. This is what you need to tell them. Ms. DeVos is clearly unqualified for the position and they (your Senator) needs to oppose this nomination. If they appoint her, they will NEVER be REELECTED. NEVER! Their Political Organization will NEVER receive another DIME from you. NEVER! Children and Young People who are not of voting age can not exert POWER. We must USE OUR POWER to represent their best interests for their future welfare. ACTIVELY RESIST NOW! Another NOTE: That means YOU, Paul Ryan. If you approve this Cabinet Appointment you are done.
12
I think Bernie summed up this whole situation perfectly when he asked her if she would sitting there if she hadn't donated millions of dollars to the republican party.
27
With all the flurry over Ms. DeVos, you would think we were such an educated people, holding education sacred. So how come so much ignorance exists In America, and an uneducated jerk like Donald Trump is President of the United States?
What a foolish people we turned out to be, a country founded in the Age of Enlightenment and now entering a fascism stage, something that could have been avoided had Americans occasionally cracked open a history book.
What kind of education are we defending from the repulsive Ms. DeVos?
What a foolish people we turned out to be, a country founded in the Age of Enlightenment and now entering a fascism stage, something that could have been avoided had Americans occasionally cracked open a history book.
What kind of education are we defending from the repulsive Ms. DeVos?
10
Both GWB and Obama really attempted to lift the standard of public schools.
The right-wing fought back because, you know, anything from Washington has to be bad.
How ignorant. How pathetic. In 50 years when the US is at the bottom in all measures except gun deaths, the people who pushed these policies won't be around to deal with the repercussions.
The right-wing fought back because, you know, anything from Washington has to be bad.
How ignorant. How pathetic. In 50 years when the US is at the bottom in all measures except gun deaths, the people who pushed these policies won't be around to deal with the repercussions.
7
De Vos is a tool of a regime that also wants to kill science education and replace it with alt facts. Classes in history, critical thinking and civics are essential to a free society. Ignorance is not bliss.
15
Au contraire to the your assertion that DeVos being a "Christian conservative" is what is "objectionable" to lots of Americans about her nomination.
It is that she wants to use a very particular fundamentalist religious dogma to run public schools as charter school madrassas - not any actual practice of Christianity by Mrs. DeVos. Big Difference.
Bottom Line: She is unqualified and only up for nomination because she is rich. It is painfully clear.
It is that she wants to use a very particular fundamentalist religious dogma to run public schools as charter school madrassas - not any actual practice of Christianity by Mrs. DeVos. Big Difference.
Bottom Line: She is unqualified and only up for nomination because she is rich. It is painfully clear.
17
I have in-laws who are Catholic zealots.
They home schooled their kids because public schools don't teach the bible and not enough deference is shown to their god.
I feel sorry for the kids. They are socially isolated.
They home schooled their kids because public schools don't teach the bible and not enough deference is shown to their god.
I feel sorry for the kids. They are socially isolated.
7
If she gave money to sitting Congresspeople, how can they be allowed to vote for her? They should recuse themselves from voting. Given how much money she's given out, it would be a small voting group, but hey, that's what's ethically required in this situation...
18
Why didn't the dimwit study up on the education system at all before her hearings?
11
Rich white billionaires don't *have* to do anything.
5
Because she doesn't care about education, only power and profit. DO NOT FAIL OUR CHILDREN!
2
Lets be clear why we oppose DeVos:
UnQualified.
Nomination Rammed through committee by Chairman with only 5 minutes for questioning by senator.
Unable to answer questions on education.
Tangled financial connections which may profit DeVos and her family by making her Sec. of Education.
The question is WHY are republicans voting FOR her?
Is it because Republicans are hoping she and her Amway family will be increasing their past 200 million dollars of campaign funds into their reelection.
Seems like a safe bet.
Once again-Republicans: Party > Country
UnQualified.
Nomination Rammed through committee by Chairman with only 5 minutes for questioning by senator.
Unable to answer questions on education.
Tangled financial connections which may profit DeVos and her family by making her Sec. of Education.
The question is WHY are republicans voting FOR her?
Is it because Republicans are hoping she and her Amway family will be increasing their past 200 million dollars of campaign funds into their reelection.
Seems like a safe bet.
Once again-Republicans: Party > Country
34
Mrs. DeVos champions a failed management approach to doing government work.
Contracting out of set-aside deals with little contract supervision.
The result is generally large contractor profit margins and poor contractor performance. Here, state and city schools are the losers.
Joen Boehner fought budget set-aside agreeements within the House of Representatives and he won.
Contracting out of set-aside deals with little contract supervision.
The result is generally large contractor profit margins and poor contractor performance. Here, state and city schools are the losers.
Joen Boehner fought budget set-aside agreeements within the House of Representatives and he won.
4
Losing schools will lose, winning schools will win. More importantly, the kids will win because they will be able to go to a school of their choice.
I wonder if your Darwinism will be taught much in Ms. DeVos's schools.
4
Mark, how many families will choose the "losing" schools," would you say?
Just the silliest? Or the ones who like a real challenge? Or the ones who live too far from the "winning" schools?
What a scenario.
Just the silliest? Or the ones who like a real challenge? Or the ones who live too far from the "winning" schools?
What a scenario.
1
Alexander was Sec of Education -- and should know better than to support this dangerous farce.
22
the crazy plot thickens...
2
I live in Michigan and DeVos has done nothing good for public education in Michigan. Her nomination for Secretary of Education is without a doubt the worst possible choice Trump could have made. That the Senate is mostly running in lock step with Trump to confirm this nominee is even more disgusting and shows that many of them are spineless and unwilling to stand up for public education, or they are committed to dumbing down public education even more than has occurred since the beginning of the 1980's.
27
Can we save one institution in this country in the chaos that is this regime? -- public education for all. No to De Vos!
28
If there was any credibility left, after this nomination Trump has zero credibility regarding "draining the swamp."
10
I live in Missouri. I just sent our Republican Senator, Blunt, a polite message to vote against this nominee. EVERYONE who agrees that Ms. DeVos is not qualified needs to let their Senator know that TODAY!
Please, Please, Please make yourself heard!!
Please, Please, Please make yourself heard!!
15
I live in Missouri too. I am looking forward to parents making the best decisions for their child. The only loser here are the loser schools.
1
Kids who are home schooled by religious zealot parents are socially isolated.
Let kids make their own choices about religion based on all the facts.
Let kids make their own choices about religion based on all the facts.
4
Nominate Michelle Lee, former Sup of Washington DC Schools, who is most knowledgable and the perfect person for this position. I,saw her earlier in the process at Trump Tower numerous times, but Donald made a big mistake in not selecting her.
9
She is an intellectual lightweight, utterly.
But then, the GOP supports an uneducated populace because they vote for people like Trump.
But then, the GOP supports an uneducated populace because they vote for people like Trump.
17
It's not like our education system is so great that this lady is going to wreck it. It's wrecked currently, so what's the fuss? We can only go up.
3
"By most any measure, the secretary of education is one of the least powerful cabinet positions."
And the department the SoE heads is a complete waste of taxpayer money. The DoE should go away. We spend more money per student than any developed country and the DoE has done absolutely nothing to improve the educational outcomes no matter who the SoE of any administration has been. Get rid of it.
And the department the SoE heads is a complete waste of taxpayer money. The DoE should go away. We spend more money per student than any developed country and the DoE has done absolutely nothing to improve the educational outcomes no matter who the SoE of any administration has been. Get rid of it.
1
Oh my. Even after the DOE was created, the difficulty and faults of public education lie squarely with the states and the local school boards. The US doesn't have a system of education. The DOE has done a few things to try to get public education a little more uniform, but every effort in that direction has been thwarted or pilloried. I live in a state that has over 80 local school districts with variations of enrollment from just over 700 to over 80,000. Of course there is waste, but it isn't at the foot of the DOE. Since we can't use very many people picking cotton, growing tobacco and working in textile mills, we probably need to upgrade the education or we will have a mass of people who cannot support themselves. But, your state and mine have wonderful public college football teams.
5
@ Mr. Jeffcoat
And to my point, what has the DOE done during its existence to rectify the situation you describe? And what is your solution to making a change at DOE that will result in significant change at a state and local level? Provide me some evidence that the DOE has been effective in any way. More money has achieved virtually nothing. Duncan and King, Jr. two Obama SoE appointments at DOE accomplished nothing in 8 years. They were both "experienced" educators. And Bush's DOE was no better. So you tell me, what's the answer?
And to my point, what has the DOE done during its existence to rectify the situation you describe? And what is your solution to making a change at DOE that will result in significant change at a state and local level? Provide me some evidence that the DOE has been effective in any way. More money has achieved virtually nothing. Duncan and King, Jr. two Obama SoE appointments at DOE accomplished nothing in 8 years. They were both "experienced" educators. And Bush's DOE was no better. So you tell me, what's the answer?
Very treacherous waters. Still, here's a go. Biggest challenge seems to be whether we have national view or a parochial view. Do you want education to have uniform standards and goals or do we have each state or school district making those decisions. Let's think about the Army. The army has people from all over the country who are trained to a uniform way so that we can have an organized defense. Okay, so apples and oranges, but the process is the same. People who grow oranges develop processes to get the best oranges. People who grow apples, likewise. But what each undertaking differs suited to the crop. We need an education system to ensure that all of our students get the same opportunity. We can't even do that within a state. I get worried about the experts, but the truth is that politically driven amateurs running our armies or our schools is not a sustainable idea. The money waste is a function of the chaos, not a function of of the DOE.
1
with heartfelt apologies to East Timor, he should reward her loyalty (and $$) by appointing her ambassador to East Timor. That would have the added advantage of getting her out of the country and further mucking up Michigan's educational system.
13
"After an underwhelming confirmation hearing in which Ms. DeVos seemed ignorant of major provisions of federal education law...."
Well, you've managed to overstate Ms. DeVos's qualifications for the job. First of all, it's clear (nix the "seemed ignorant" pleasantry) that she does not understand the Supremacy Clause. Sorry, Ms. DeVos, not everything is "best left to the states" to figure out. Like our rights under Federal law, for instance. Ever hear of Marbury vs. Madison or the Civil War? They teach those things in public schools, nowadays.
Then there's the testimony worthy of a Twilight Zone episode, where the presence of firearms in an elementary school saves children from a charging grizzly bear. Because it could happen, you know. Somewhere OUT THERE, off the grid, where Ice Age carnivores still pick off unsuspecting children in that perilous space between the school bus and the front door. Who knew that the President figures out school policy after consulting with the NRA? Ms. DeVos does.
Madame Secretary-to-be did not, of course, send her own children to public schools. So who could be more up-to-date on what's happening there these days? Probably only 100-200 million other people.
Ms. DeVos is not a "victim...of broader political theater." She is the very definition of political theater. We don't need entertainers for Cabinet members. We need subject matter experts, not rich people with time on their hands.
Well, you've managed to overstate Ms. DeVos's qualifications for the job. First of all, it's clear (nix the "seemed ignorant" pleasantry) that she does not understand the Supremacy Clause. Sorry, Ms. DeVos, not everything is "best left to the states" to figure out. Like our rights under Federal law, for instance. Ever hear of Marbury vs. Madison or the Civil War? They teach those things in public schools, nowadays.
Then there's the testimony worthy of a Twilight Zone episode, where the presence of firearms in an elementary school saves children from a charging grizzly bear. Because it could happen, you know. Somewhere OUT THERE, off the grid, where Ice Age carnivores still pick off unsuspecting children in that perilous space between the school bus and the front door. Who knew that the President figures out school policy after consulting with the NRA? Ms. DeVos does.
Madame Secretary-to-be did not, of course, send her own children to public schools. So who could be more up-to-date on what's happening there these days? Probably only 100-200 million other people.
Ms. DeVos is not a "victim...of broader political theater." She is the very definition of political theater. We don't need entertainers for Cabinet members. We need subject matter experts, not rich people with time on their hands.
30
Here's the difference between public and private - my son has ADHD. He manages it very well for a teen. The local private school, that runs full pages ads, about how they are all about "the finest in education" rejected my son because he has ADHD. This, despite the fact that he was - in their own words - by far the highest scoring applicant on their entrance exam that year. Again, per the private school, he tested three grade levels above his age group. But an ADHD child could prove a "distraction", so his application was rejected. Seven public school years later, he has a 3.9 average, took his first college level course as a freshman in High School, and was skipped ahead a grade in science, math, and English. In DeVos' America my son doesn't count because he has ADHD. In the real America, he is thinking about becoming an emergency room doctor. Which America do you want to live in? Do you want to live in a country where an extremely bright young man is a doctor or where he's a ward of the state because a private school was worried he might be a "distraction"? Your call. Call your Senator now and let him/her know which America you prefer.
488
If he has done so well, he cannot be suffering from ADHD. Someone gave him that diagnosis, but it isn't a problem for him. Diagnoses like that are a hindrance, not a solution to a problem, because there is clearly no problem. In fact, it kept him out of a school that might have been a good fit. Or, perhaps that was fortunate because the private school may be a terrible school.
Forget the "diagnoses". Just pay attention to what a child accomplishes.
Forget the "diagnoses". Just pay attention to what a child accomplishes.
1
I couldn't agree more. My son is both gifted and special ed - he reads 5 grade levels above his age, but writes 3 grades below. He requires accommodations, but consistently scores off the charts on standardized tests. With the Autism epidemic and the recognition of the correlation between dyslexia, dysgraphia and high intelligence, there will only be more students like our sons in the future. Our local private school has nothing for my son and I doubt a charter school would even consider him. His goal is to be an engineer.
Thank you for sharing your story, Jayce!!! We need to hear more about the discriminatory practices and segregation of charter schools.
1
This nomination completely flies in the face of the objectives of public education to debunk belief in magic and inculcate understanding of real causes and effects to educate a public amenable to governance by reason.
11
I don't care about her Christianity. I care about the kids she'd be responsible for. She doesn't seem open to conflicting information. When a person ruins an entire state's public school system and doesn't get a clue you're doing something wrong, you have to wonder what's going on with them. I suspect either groupthink or a deliberate wish to sabotage the system for some ideological agenda.
8
The worst of the worst, a charlatan in every way imaginable, and now she wants to ravage our kids for her own personal profit.
Get Diane Ravitch back in there.
Get Diane Ravitch back in there.
8
What I want to know is.....Senator McCain, Donald made fun of you for being a POW, yet you still support him? Putting your party above the children!!! Have you no shame? I actually have more respect for Donald Trump then those like you who kneel down to him. You are pathetic.
Same for you Ted Cruz, or shall I say lying Ted? According to Donald your dad killed JFK and your wife is ugly yet you tow the party line over the children! Have you no shame sir?
Senator McCain and Cruz need to both vote no! DeVos has no qualifications to do this job.
Same for you Ted Cruz, or shall I say lying Ted? According to Donald your dad killed JFK and your wife is ugly yet you tow the party line over the children! Have you no shame sir?
Senator McCain and Cruz need to both vote no! DeVos has no qualifications to do this job.
20
This is upside down. If our children really are our future, secretary of education should be one of the most important posts.
15
Not if you embrace willful ignorance to begin with. Just look at who was elected.
5
DeVos is a supporter of providing vouchers for private religious schools. I wonder how many of her Republicans would continue to support her in this position if they realized that this would mean that someone who is Muslim would be entitled to send their children to be educated in a madrassa at the tax payer expense.
14
The caboose on this train wreck of an administration.
12
Please send your reporters back to the drawing boards....This is an orchestrated effort by the teachers' unions....Children walking out of a classroom to protest a cabinet selection???? That is child abuse by teachers at its very worst.
3
Maybe it was a civics lesson. on, you know, "How a cabinet member is chosen and confirmed". Considering most people don't know the name of the Vice President, a little student involvement might not hurt. If churches can now get involved in politics, why not schools? Trump might be the person to involve more people, universally, in politics than ever.
5
No. Child abuse at its very worst is sexual molestation. It happens, mostly in expensive private schools.
But it's still an abuse of authority.
But it's still an abuse of authority.
4
As for vouchers. Having sent my daughter to both private and public schools, and having been a teacher myself, I really haven't seen evidence that private schools deliver better academics than decent public schools. (granted, I have no experience with high-end, ivy league-style prep schools, and little experience with epically horrendous public ones) The reason I've chosen private schools has more to do with the availability of arts and foreign language, as well as a school culture that felt like it would be healthier placement for my science nerd, Mozart-loving middle school daughter. But in terms of teachers using best practices in the classroom to deliver academic curriculum - I'd say the public schools have an edge. Public schools also by far offer more services and trained professionals for students with special needs than many, many private schools. (I speak for several communities I've lived in in western WA) So back to vouchers and DeVos - if a public school is failing its kids, the knee-jerk reaction shouldn't be to send them to a private school, particularly if they have special needs academically. Oh, and BTW - don't use my tax dollars to fund religious schools, or I'll probably be wanting to use yours to fund abortion.
215
I totally agree with you but would add that public education has it hands over for educating the exceptionally gifted and the exceptionally non-gifted. Public high schools offer far more advanced placement classes and most are affiliated with some company, entity that is offering mentorships to eager young minds.
Both of my children went to Catholic schools from pre-K through high school. The education was not that great but our emphasis for our children was their safety. We were lucky enough to afford (time-wise and money -wise) to be able to supplement them with better learning experiences than the school did.
I believe that religious schools do teach children to be better human beings. Little people who hear the Golden rule and giving to charity when it is repeatedly told to them from ages 3 to 10 by attending religious classes as part of their school day grow up to be caring individuals. Likewise, zero tolerance can do wonders in teaching how to act if parents care about the behavior and how it effects their child's classmates' opportunities to learn.
Both of my children went to Catholic schools from pre-K through high school. The education was not that great but our emphasis for our children was their safety. We were lucky enough to afford (time-wise and money -wise) to be able to supplement them with better learning experiences than the school did.
I believe that religious schools do teach children to be better human beings. Little people who hear the Golden rule and giving to charity when it is repeatedly told to them from ages 3 to 10 by attending religious classes as part of their school day grow up to be caring individuals. Likewise, zero tolerance can do wonders in teaching how to act if parents care about the behavior and how it effects their child's classmates' opportunities to learn.
Well educated children are the future of any country. If the past two years are any indication of the quality of education received by the current adult population then education itself needs an overhaul. Greater attention must be paid on how children learn, what subjects are necessary in this computer driven world and the emphasis on reading comprehension. It is apparent that many people who are attracted to fake news/conspiracy theories seem to lack critical thinking skills. These skills are vital in this world where information about anything and everything is fed into the ether, and seemingly swallowed wholesale.
Public Schools, well funded, could be as great or greater than any private, or religious-based private school. Our children are our greatest asset, they deserve our undivided attention and given the best education possible, geared to how they learn, and teaching them what they need in order to thrive, and potentially achieve greatness. Our future as elders depends on our children' success.
Public Schools, well funded, could be as great or greater than any private, or religious-based private school. Our children are our greatest asset, they deserve our undivided attention and given the best education possible, geared to how they learn, and teaching them what they need in order to thrive, and potentially achieve greatness. Our future as elders depends on our children' success.
8
The utopia you seek doesn't exist. It never has and it never will. The fact is we are not all equal in intelligence, talent, motivation, ability or desire for success. Couple that with the fact that a great many jobs do not require an education beyond the 8th grade - did example stocker at Walmart or oil change "technician" at JiffyLube.
Just one more Rep. Senator needed to vote against her. How about it Senators Graham and McCain? You can look to your own states and see how her effort to privatize all schools would be ruinous for public education. Let's see a little backbone please.
13
This is what Trump voters wanted: a know-nothing pay to play president and his candidates who don't care about them or their kids. It boggles the mind.
11
Speaking as a part time teacher: DeVos is totally UNFIT for Education Secretary
11
Why is there not similar opposition to rick perry? He didn't even know what the dept did until *after* he was appointed--& this in spite of promising to close it down when he was a presidential candidate--if only he could remember its name.
7
Perry has a degree in Animal Science making him an expert in Mooclear Physics.
6
"Education accounts for a paltry 3 percent of the federal budget"
Well, THERE's your problem.
Well, THERE's your problem.
12
Education has been and should be locally controlled and funded. Federal spending in this area is really a shameful program to manipulate policy via the purse strings.
1
Seriously! And Trump wants to spend billions on a stupid, pointless wall?
8
Actually, LCA, federal spending in this area was more intended to lessen the differences in spending between poor and wealthy communities, in order to ensure that every child has equal access to education. If you believe that all children should have an equal education, that is. Which many, unfortunately, do not.
2
There are other nominees who would do more physical damage, but Ms. DeVos would hurt innocent kids and I think that just raises a level of disgust.
14
In reality, though, what could be more damaging than the deterioration of public schools? Kids are the future of our planet. We can't survive if only an elite few receive a high-quality education, while the rest fall by the wayside.
1
This woman would turn over public schools to businesses who think they can make a profit educating our children.
12
I have read a lot about this, agree with the facts in the article and the decision to fight this nomination, and am especially impressed with the strength of the two Senators.
I do have to take exception with the headline ~ I expect more from the NYT.
Saying she is "jeered" implies insults are being tossed wildly, not necessarily with facts. And most of what I hear is patient and reasonable and based on legitimate concerns.
Saying a nominee is "being jeered" sounds like something President Trump would say in a tweet.
I do have to take exception with the headline ~ I expect more from the NYT.
Saying she is "jeered" implies insults are being tossed wildly, not necessarily with facts. And most of what I hear is patient and reasonable and based on legitimate concerns.
Saying a nominee is "being jeered" sounds like something President Trump would say in a tweet.
11
Of course she is. She has a vagina. Believe me, I am very much against her confirmation, but sickened that it is always women who are the most vilified.
4
I had this same thought listening to the news this morning!
1
Thanks Pamela for stating what needed to be said. There's not one part of me that would ever support her for this position (or any position that is supposed to represent public education) but absolutely everyone is treating her differently because she's a woman.
2
You are completely correct. She is an awful pick, but the others are equally awful.
1
The U.S. should end public education after the eighth grade. Parents would then have the choice to pay for further education or train children to work.
1
As a citizen of the State of Tennessee, it shames me that my senators would support Betsy De Vos for Secretary of Education. Courage is not a word in their language. They are greedy, small-minded sycophants.
They clearly do not want educated voters, and they support other ridiculous nominations; at their ages, I doubt they have any reason to be concerned about leaving our planet a toxic wasteland. But, just as the Liberal Redneck has said, something is happening out here in the tradionally red states. Perhaps, finally, these foolish old men will be defeated when they run for reelection. I won't be able to cry even "fake tears" for them. They have made millions looking out for the "little" guy.
They will be pathetic footnotes in the history of the U.S. Senate, much like Joseph McCarthy. Sadly, they've probably done more damage than McCarthy.
They clearly do not want educated voters, and they support other ridiculous nominations; at their ages, I doubt they have any reason to be concerned about leaving our planet a toxic wasteland. But, just as the Liberal Redneck has said, something is happening out here in the tradionally red states. Perhaps, finally, these foolish old men will be defeated when they run for reelection. I won't be able to cry even "fake tears" for them. They have made millions looking out for the "little" guy.
They will be pathetic footnotes in the history of the U.S. Senate, much like Joseph McCarthy. Sadly, they've probably done more damage than McCarthy.
18
The middle school I attended as a child just removed Animal Farm from its curriculum. Coincidence, perhaps, but my eighth grade English teacher, Mr Goldberg, loved teaching the book. Animal Farm was my first exposure to totalitarianism, as a concept. I will never forget "some animals are more equal than others".
In an argument with some of my classmates on Facebook, several of them claimed that the federal government has no responsibility to provide quality public education. Obviously, I disagree. My public education has served me well. I have no confidence that Betsy DeVos will improve the quality of education in this country. If you live in one of the three states where senators could possibly still swing this vote, I ask you to call or write. This is America, some animals should not be more equal than others.
In an argument with some of my classmates on Facebook, several of them claimed that the federal government has no responsibility to provide quality public education. Obviously, I disagree. My public education has served me well. I have no confidence that Betsy DeVos will improve the quality of education in this country. If you live in one of the three states where senators could possibly still swing this vote, I ask you to call or write. This is America, some animals should not be more equal than others.
206
Is it coincidence? Animal Farm is so appropriate to today's political situation that it would be impossible to ignore the parallels. Perhaps some people are afraid of that conversation.
It only became necessary for the federal government to provide funds to public education when the need was seen to give all students (rich or poor states and counties) a more equal educational opportunity. Every school needs books, paper, pencils, heat in winter, and some schools could not even provide that.
1
If the teachers of this country spent as much time and effort as their unions do in avoiding accountability we would be number 1 in educational outcomes.
Now we just spend more money per pupil than any other country in the world on primary and secondary education and get mediocre results.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-education-spending-tops-global-list-study...
Now we just spend more money per pupil than any other country in the world on primary and secondary education and get mediocre results.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-education-spending-tops-global-list-study...
4
The Five States Where Teachers Unions Are Illegal Have The Lowest Test Scores In America...
http://www.businessinsider.com/states-where-teachers-unions-are-illegal-...
http://www.businessinsider.com/states-where-teachers-unions-are-illegal-...
8
Charters schools in New York City (without teachers unions) outperform traditional public schools (with teachers unions). Teachers unions have been trying to kill these charters nonetheless...poor and minority students succeeding in these schools be damned.
2
NYC charter schools accept only those students who are without behavioral problems; only those who are likely to succeed.
I taught for a short time in NYC schools. I saw what was what.
I taught for a short time in NYC schools. I saw what was what.
3
I am beside myself. This administration is going to gut the EPA, allow corruption, taunt our allies, put women and people of color back under the control of wealthy white men, ignore our existing crumbling infrastructure while spending billions on a wall, and ensure our citizenry is not well-educated. Utter chaos built around an utter lack of humanity.
18
I find this odd. Clearly, she is utterly unqualified, and thoroughly conflicted, but no more than the others. Why are people so energized for her and not for those who will despoil the earth and lead us into war?
4
Because she is a threat to teachers unions.
3
The Department of Education is least powerful, but isn't it exactly the reason it is captured by powerful self-interested actors like the teacher's unions? I have nothing against teachers, and have a few in my family. Time has changed, however. Given the precarious nature of jobs in almost every private sector, public-sector employee unions (teachers, police, and other civil servants types) are too powerful in spite of themselves. They are more like professions, and need professional associations for coordination in the place of unions that peddle their narrow self-interest above public good.
3
If you read the article.... Ms DeVos has more self interest than public good concerns than you might be aware of.
2
Wish I was there in person to chant "Amway is a Ponzi Scheme!" in endless repetition...
19
All republican senators should be told that their vote for deVos is a vote against their children. The voters should remember their senators vote in two years when one-third of the senators will be up for reelection.
Voters must realize their votes for candidates can have severe repercussions as we are watching almost daily with this new administration. We must demand that our representatives and senators put the country first. Not themselves; not their party; not there contributors. When they take the Oath of Office, they are part of the organization that should be working for all Americans. We must demand that they learn that.
Voters must realize their votes for candidates can have severe repercussions as we are watching almost daily with this new administration. We must demand that our representatives and senators put the country first. Not themselves; not their party; not there contributors. When they take the Oath of Office, they are part of the organization that should be working for all Americans. We must demand that they learn that.
29
She's just another lying unqualified Trump-nominated #deplorable.
20
It's not too hard to imagine Devos receiving less scrutiny in a world where Merrick Garland is a Supreme Court justice. Unfortunately for Devos, the Democratic base is hungry for a win, any win...
3
You're off a little bit David. The Democratic base is hungry for justice, any justice...
Trump is destroying the landscape and Devos is just another cabinet pick that is exactly the opposite of what is needed to support what she is supposed to protect.
Trump is doing a good job of destroying America.
Trump is destroying the landscape and Devos is just another cabinet pick that is exactly the opposite of what is needed to support what she is supposed to protect.
Trump is doing a good job of destroying America.
11
It's not hard to imagine many more Democratic wins if voting rights were taken seriously and there was a lot less voter suppression and gerrymandering. If Republicans had confidence in their message, they would welcome having every eligible voter vote.
8
Students walking out of classrooms in Portland is so stupid. In the 15 years I've lived in Portland, I've had four tax increases to pay for our schools, yet they have not improved at all.
The Dem's and teachers unions chose this candidate for the reason alone that they could get mothers and students all lathered up and use the famed line "it's for the children" to get sympathy for their pension causes.
A way to make noise. It's funny to hear about choice when it applies to abortion, but now when it applies to schools. Hypocrites.
The Dem's and teachers unions chose this candidate for the reason alone that they could get mothers and students all lathered up and use the famed line "it's for the children" to get sympathy for their pension causes.
A way to make noise. It's funny to hear about choice when it applies to abortion, but now when it applies to schools. Hypocrites.
4
One of the major issues is that charter schools are able to play a "heads I win, tails you lose" game, particularly with kids with special needs. They don't have the cost of taking care of special needs kids, but do get the revenue because they often keep them just long enough to get funds for the entire year. That is an unfortunate truth.
Since most public school teachers are not eligible for social security, they do need to have pensions. The alternative wouldn't be pretty.
Since most public school teachers are not eligible for social security, they do need to have pensions. The alternative wouldn't be pretty.
6
> yet they have not improved at all.
This is completely not true. Graduation rates have increased 12 to 13% in Portland from 2012 to 2016.
http://portlandtribune.com/uej/9-news/342572-221166-boys-still-lag-behin...
This is completely not true. Graduation rates have increased 12 to 13% in Portland from 2012 to 2016.
http://portlandtribune.com/uej/9-news/342572-221166-boys-still-lag-behin...
5
It will be great for Betsy to get up in front of the class and say " Now class plagiarism is OK if you have someone else, like Monica Crowley, write your answers for you". More of the Serial Lying Administration.
10
What better choice for education than someone so desperately in need of one?
31
See money can't buy you everything.
2
The NYT should be lauded for accurately reporting (albeit in understated terms) just how completely unqualified this very wealthy woman truly is. Her wealth is her only possible qualification.
It is, I suppose, only natural for a President who has no government experience at all to nominate a slate of cabinet members who, like him, have zero qualifications. Sadly, however, that will result in our great country being lead by people who lack knowledge of the subject matter over which they must make essential decisions.
It is great to 'drain the swamp' and remove the entrenched good old boys. But, and it's a big 'but', to replace them with totally inexperienced people whose only qualification is their immense wealth is so self-defeating as to cast serious doubt on the real agenda in play.
It is, I suppose, only natural for a President who has no government experience at all to nominate a slate of cabinet members who, like him, have zero qualifications. Sadly, however, that will result in our great country being lead by people who lack knowledge of the subject matter over which they must make essential decisions.
It is great to 'drain the swamp' and remove the entrenched good old boys. But, and it's a big 'but', to replace them with totally inexperienced people whose only qualification is their immense wealth is so self-defeating as to cast serious doubt on the real agenda in play.
31
Anyone who believes this potus is selecting his own nominees has a loose noodle. Bannon/Russia/GOP-TEA party radicals are calling the shots now.
5
It appears that Ms. DeVos would be poison for the public school system in America but it does make me furious that the only WOMAN The Con Don appointed to a cabinet position is under attack.
It is NOT acceptable and ALL women should be loudly protesting the GENDER DISCRIMINATION taking place in OUR hallowed halls of governance.
It is NOT acceptable and ALL women should be loudly protesting the GENDER DISCRIMINATION taking place in OUR hallowed halls of governance.
3
The Secretary of Transportation nominee, Elaine Chao is a woman. She's McConnell's wife, and the former Secretary of Labor, so undoubtedly she'll skate through to confirmation. Equal opportunity not draining of the swamp.
1
Are you saying she should be confirmed for that reason only? Yes, it's bad enough that Sir Donald did not appoint any other women. Evidently wealth is the main, if not the only, qualification.
1
Ellen Chao has been nominated as Secretary of Transportation. She is a woman.
4
So the unions hate her and they have done so much to lift the educational opportunities for the poor and dispossessed............she may not be perfect but she must be doing something right- if the unions loved her then you know Trump made a HUGE mistake
5
We should send the poor and dispossessed to Trump University.
2
I'm not a union person myself, but I recognize that they gave us the weekend, paid time off, minimum wage and other labor benefits.
6
Why should we have a secretary of education who is ant-education. She views schools as a tool of capitalism to make money.
15
"Why should we have a secretary of education who is ant-education."....Why should we have an Attorney general who is anti civil rights, or an EPA director who doesn't believe in climate change, or a Secretary of Labor who is opposed to unions?
8
Please don't compare Bennett to DeVos.
He was certainly controvercial and had strong opinions, but he was not an ignorant man. He gave me no reason to believe he knew nothing and cared to know nothing more. He was simply a man who did not share my opinions.
Please do not compare Mr. Bennett to Ms. DeVos.
The Senate has heard more regarding DeVos than about the others becase she's the only tack whose sharpness we question.
Trump is the president, alas, and he doesn't have to pick a cabinet that agrees with me. I think he owes it to the American people to at least pick people who are competent.
He was certainly controvercial and had strong opinions, but he was not an ignorant man. He gave me no reason to believe he knew nothing and cared to know nothing more. He was simply a man who did not share my opinions.
Please do not compare Mr. Bennett to Ms. DeVos.
The Senate has heard more regarding DeVos than about the others becase she's the only tack whose sharpness we question.
Trump is the president, alas, and he doesn't have to pick a cabinet that agrees with me. I think he owes it to the American people to at least pick people who are competent.
10
Most unfortunate is Ms. DeVos' religion being an obstacle for confirmation by many detractors.
I do believe the political divide will be successful for the Republicans who gave senators Collins and Murkowski the option of voting nay and the remaining Republicans voting yea.
I do believe the political divide will be successful for the Republicans who gave senators Collins and Murkowski the option of voting nay and the remaining Republicans voting yea.
So why is being a devout Christian supposed to be a plus? What would happen if instead she were a devout Muslim? Now do you understand the point?
4
What's "most unfortunate" is not Ms. DeVos's religion, but her stated belief that public education should be the instrument of promoting religion, that the objective of education is to inculcate the values that would please (her) god.
5
DeVos can practice any religion she wants, she has no business using taxpayer money to insert religion into education or public policy.
8
The dumbing of America continues unabated. Pay for play is alive and well in America. The swamp is alive and doing quite nicely.
23
She gave over $55,000 to my PA Senator Toomey and he plans to vote for her. Considering her qualifications or lack of them, I can only assume that she is buying her votes. First year education graduate students could have answered the questions better than she did. Her entire purpose is to enrich private companies at the expense of our public schools. My father was a public school teacher for 35 years. I have been in public and private education for over 20 years. There is no way that the corporate idea of ROI (Return on Investment) can be applied to public education. How do you put a dollar amount on a student becoming a good citizen?
586
I am always amazed how cheaply you can buy politicians.
3
The Republican$ put a dollar amount on becoming a minimally skilled worker $7.25/hour. Their plan is to have a cadre of workers skilled enough for minimum wage jobs yet lacking skills and opportunities to challenge their children for well paying jobs. They want lower skilled workers who need to work two or three minimum wage jobs and are so worn out from putting a roof over their families heads and food on their tables that they haven't the time, energy or resources to work to improve their school and help their children escape. Instead they peddle magic beans, vouchers, for schools not one of them would have their own children attend.
The push for voucher schools is a way to keep children from experiencing -others- and to prevent children from being inoculated against the vilification and demonization necessary to treat those who are different so callously while maintaining a force of minimally skilled workers they can set against each other.
The push for voucher schools is a way to keep children from experiencing -others- and to prevent children from being inoculated against the vilification and demonization necessary to treat those who are different so callously while maintaining a force of minimally skilled workers they can set against each other.
2
Money doesn't talk, it swears....
She is unqualified (a question by Senator Franken about achievement vs. growth flummoxed her -- this is something every public school teacher needs to consider daily), she could not guarantee to follow the law on providing equal access to students with disabilities, and she has clear conflicts of interest. I taught at a public high school in NM for six years before moving to Oregon, and I have seen first-hand from some of the poorest students in our country how crucial access to education is to ensuring the future of our children (and our nation). And, as the parent of two children who attend public schools, I see daily from the other side of the desk what is at stake. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of candidates more qualified than DeVos. She is a real danger to our school system and the future of our country despite the fact that we only spend 3% of our national budget on education. Please urge any and all Republican senators to reconsider their yes votes!
390
If Republican senators were serving their constituents instead of their donors, they would not be leaving town to party with them and DT, but would be in their offices hearing the outpouring of pleas to reject this nomination.
Thank you for this cogent comment.
Thank you for this cogent comment.
1
in the era of Trump:
Ignorance is the new smart
Wealth is new morals
Power is the new humility
Distruction is the new building
Irrational is the new rational
Lies are the new truth
Ignorance is the new smart
Wealth is new morals
Power is the new humility
Distruction is the new building
Irrational is the new rational
Lies are the new truth
59
And, 2 + 2 = 5 . Big Brother knows best!
4
When funds are diverted to private schools, which can choose students they will admit, the gap between the haves and have-nots widens. Chile is reforming its educational system after decades of privatized education. Money was diverted from public schools as "subsidized" schools signed up as many kids as possible for the $$. Chile despite having one of the strongest economies in SA has the widest inequality gap among 34 OECD countries. There is a severe distrust of public schools and low morale by educators and students. Free market economics do not work with education.
Privatizing education limits those with the biggest needs. Do you know that if you suspect your child has a learning disability (or gifted) the public school can make a recommendation for him to be tested and set up an individual learning plan with parents, experts, and resources? Public schools check students for hearing, sight, and lice so that this can be eliminated as a barrier to education. Public schools have guidance counselors, nurses, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, ESL teachers, and school safety officers- & more: before and after-school programs, free pre-K, free and reduced lunches.
The person running the public education system should not have less knowledge of it than that of an American parent. If DeVos cared about public education she would have donated 200 million $$ directly to those in need. A sad lesson for American students as they watch $$ triumph over knowledge.
Privatizing education limits those with the biggest needs. Do you know that if you suspect your child has a learning disability (or gifted) the public school can make a recommendation for him to be tested and set up an individual learning plan with parents, experts, and resources? Public schools check students for hearing, sight, and lice so that this can be eliminated as a barrier to education. Public schools have guidance counselors, nurses, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, ESL teachers, and school safety officers- & more: before and after-school programs, free pre-K, free and reduced lunches.
The person running the public education system should not have less knowledge of it than that of an American parent. If DeVos cared about public education she would have donated 200 million $$ directly to those in need. A sad lesson for American students as they watch $$ triumph over knowledge.
274
Now we have the illusion of an independent Susan Collins. McConnell has counted his votes and doesn't need hers so he is allowing her to look independent. She must be getting a lot of heat from her constituents.
If he really needs her vote, she will be there for him.
If he really needs her vote, she will be there for him.
4
She couldn't bother to prepare for her hearing. Why should anyone think that she is prepared to run a department that, while small in terms of the federal government, has an enormous impact on the future of the country.
17
Oh, don't think she isn't prepared to run the department. She knows exactly what she wants to do--it's just not anything you can admit in a confirmation hearing.
4
Her testimony indicated that she is not convinced that schools that receive federal funding should support the needs of students with disabilities. My God, what type of person disputes federal protections for children with disabilities?
Even though she later clarified that she agrees that "federal laws should be followed", she is clearly unaware of what the laws are, and if asked about the substance of the laws, she disagrees! What a mess!
Even though she later clarified that she agrees that "federal laws should be followed", she is clearly unaware of what the laws are, and if asked about the substance of the laws, she disagrees! What a mess!
20
At the risk of being castigated, I share some but not all of the views of Ms. DeVos regarding private schools and vouchers. But based on her confirmation hearing, I find it impossible to support her. If there isn't someone better than her available to run and streamline this department -- and I have one or two people in mind -- then perhaps my opinions are worth reconsidering.
3
She's an abomination.......
10
A victim? Please. She's there because Trump values loyalty over expertise. For a while rumor had it Trump was going to pick Michelle Rhee, whom I don't agree with at all, but was vastly more qualified than DeVos. Ms. DeVos has tremendous conflicts of interest and also wants to blur the line between church and state. This article does not nearly delve into the very real concerns that many people have about her. Do not mess with our kids' education!
14
The public school system has had decades to improve.
It has not.
If anything, it has gotten worse.
I would bet the house, the vast majority of people opposed to DeVos are members of the teacher's union.
They are putting their own selfish interests ahead of the childrens.
It has not.
If anything, it has gotten worse.
I would bet the house, the vast majority of people opposed to DeVos are members of the teacher's union.
They are putting their own selfish interests ahead of the childrens.
4
They always do.
4
I *am not* a member of a teacher's union, but I *am* a teacher - and DeCks is *absolutely unqualified! I am opposed to her. :/
7
I'm not a member of a teachers' union, and I emphatically oppose her nomination. I picked a community to live in so I could send my daughter to its excellent public schools. Her preparation enabled her to attend Bryn Mawr and now Columbia.
Education should never be a for-profit pursuit. I'm not opposed to private education, but not as a profit-making enterprise. Look at the comparative default figures for student loans. Students attending for-profit institutions have much higher default rates than those attending public and private, non-profit institutions. If you want an example of poor for-profit education, look no further than Trump "University."
For-profit education puts investors' "own selfish interests ahead of the childrens'" to use your words. In a choice between investors and teachers, I'll take the teachers.
Education should never be a for-profit pursuit. I'm not opposed to private education, but not as a profit-making enterprise. Look at the comparative default figures for student loans. Students attending for-profit institutions have much higher default rates than those attending public and private, non-profit institutions. If you want an example of poor for-profit education, look no further than Trump "University."
For-profit education puts investors' "own selfish interests ahead of the childrens'" to use your words. In a choice between investors and teachers, I'll take the teachers.
178
I would encourage everyone to look at the questioning of Mrs. DeVos in her confirmation hearing by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Maggie Hassan, Bernie Sanders and Al Franken. The C-Span videos are available on YouTube. Their questioning exposed huge problems with her nomination to be Secretary of Education. To cut to the chase, DeVoss obviously doesn't know much of anything about Federal law pertaining to education and she would not commit herself to enforcing Federal law if confirmed as Secretary of Education. She is plainly unfit to occupy that post and the damage that she could do to the education of America's children if confirmed frankly puts the future of the United States at risk.
As President Trump said early on in his campaign: "I love the uneducateds."
As President Trump said early on in his campaign: "I love the uneducateds."
380
The nomination makes sense if you consider that the goal is to liquidate the Department and to reward a big contributor.
3
How pathetic (kinda funny, really) that so many of the people who voted for Billionaire Bombast Trump -- figuring he'd help raise their financial prospects -- don't realize that most billionaires live in bubbles, and therefore don't have the first clue about how the masses live -- and wouldn't care, if they did.
The Ignorance that plagues these people is almost as sickening as the Pathology that plagues Trump and many of his putrid cronies.
The Ignorance that plagues these people is almost as sickening as the Pathology that plagues Trump and many of his putrid cronies.
11
And this is so true as a family friend indicated she was a Trump voter but would have participated in the Women's March, if it had been in her area. I had to explain that the marchers, here and worldwide were protesting Trump's policies against women, the environment, etc,. I concluded that she, like so many others, didn't really understand what she voted for.
4
DeVos is no victim. She and her family have spent millions buying republicans over the last decade, and made it clear she expected favors in return. She's now "collecting" on her "investment." Once again we see the effects of allowing private money to be used on political campaigning. She owns these people through her contributions - our own worthless Senator, Steve Daines, is one of her puppets and will vote to support her against the outpouring of Montanan's who oppose this appalling appointment. The Republicans are beyond vile at this point, beyond disgusting, and have no interest in the welfare of the nation's children or education system, which she will summarily dismantle.
13
The psychotic rants of the socialist-democrat party elites are becoming one big rolling cliché. Hysteria over having successful people running stagnant and dysfunctional government bureaus is a threat to the dull sludge in the federal bureaucracies. And the teachers union thugs have no room for someone exposing their colossal failures as managers of government schools across the country. So here we sit, "Waiting For Superman" to begin prompting government schools to do more than increase salaries for lazy, corrupt, incompetent, and politicized teachers. She WILL be confirmed.
2
Successful at what? This is a woman who was born into money and who is only successful at lining her own pockets.
Why are right wingers so gullible and so eager to embrace the people who trample them underfoot?
Why are right wingers so gullible and so eager to embrace the people who trample them underfoot?
8
To improve public schools in Nevada all you have to do is volunteer, run for the school board, and work to make them better. DeVos wants to make money off of unaccountable "charter" schools, as she and her kleptocracy have done in Michigan. This isn't about making American great again, it is about making her Amway-pyramid-sales-scheme family richer. Reducing accountability for publicly funded programs is not the way to go.
9
"Poor Mrs. Devos" as a victim?! Wow, that stretches the definition.
She's an out of touch, unqualified, "let 'em eat cake" Republican socialite who probably doesn't even know where the closest public school is located since she and her kind avoid them like the plague. Wish she'd been asked the last time she set foot in one, if ever. Doubtful.
As grizzly bears are among the smartest animals on the planet, I'd say the schools are much more in need of protection from DeVos.
She's an out of touch, unqualified, "let 'em eat cake" Republican socialite who probably doesn't even know where the closest public school is located since she and her kind avoid them like the plague. Wish she'd been asked the last time she set foot in one, if ever. Doubtful.
As grizzly bears are among the smartest animals on the planet, I'd say the schools are much more in need of protection from DeVos.
15
It will be on Republicans when DeVos is confirmed and our public education system sinks to a new low.
Just one more honest Republican Senator of good character is needed to deny the confirmation. Anyone? ... I won't hold my breath.
Just one more honest Republican Senator of good character is needed to deny the confirmation. Anyone? ... I won't hold my breath.
8
DeVos is DeVoid of Qualifications.
She nor her kids attended public schools, nor taught in them. Clearly unaware of education issues. Lacking in education experience. Hmm sounds like a carbon copy of Ben Carson. Except she is the 2nd largest political contributor in US over the last 10 years (behind the gambling billionaire Sheldon Adelson). SBA chief Linda McMahon is similarly unqualified except that she also bought her way into the Cabinet through political contributions.
There is no longer a need for lobbyists because the billionaires are now actually in the White House and in the cabinet!
She nor her kids attended public schools, nor taught in them. Clearly unaware of education issues. Lacking in education experience. Hmm sounds like a carbon copy of Ben Carson. Except she is the 2nd largest political contributor in US over the last 10 years (behind the gambling billionaire Sheldon Adelson). SBA chief Linda McMahon is similarly unqualified except that she also bought her way into the Cabinet through political contributions.
There is no longer a need for lobbyists because the billionaires are now actually in the White House and in the cabinet!
15
Her only qualification appears to be that she was born rich and married richer, she has no real experience in public schools and doesn't understand the problems that class room teachers face on a daily basis, and how well intended regulations from above frequently waste time and resources that could be better directed by the teacher and not a bureaucrat thousands of miles away.
We need a Secretary of Education that realizes public school graduates occupy more than half of the Ivy League classes, that many more who are qualified are turned away. The Secretary of Education needs to know that a student who is fluent in two languages or more but only is graded in English may not be an under performer. They might be heroic as they interpret rental leases, medical interactions for their families and a host of other responsibilities all while trying to progress as a child through school.
We need a Secretary of Education who will understand that poverty is the greatest hurdle for too many children; that paying their parents non living wages means they have to work two or three jobs to keep the rent covered; that poor families move more often than middle class and that is traumatic for students. We need a Secretary of Education who will listen to the teachers in the classroom more than she does the stockholders in the board room.
We need a Secretary of Education that realizes public school graduates occupy more than half of the Ivy League classes, that many more who are qualified are turned away. The Secretary of Education needs to know that a student who is fluent in two languages or more but only is graded in English may not be an under performer. They might be heroic as they interpret rental leases, medical interactions for their families and a host of other responsibilities all while trying to progress as a child through school.
We need a Secretary of Education who will understand that poverty is the greatest hurdle for too many children; that paying their parents non living wages means they have to work two or three jobs to keep the rent covered; that poor families move more often than middle class and that is traumatic for students. We need a Secretary of Education who will listen to the teachers in the classroom more than she does the stockholders in the board room.
29
She paid $200M fair and square, though! #eyeroll
14
DeVos is as wildly unqualified and unsuitable to serve as the Secretary of Education as Trump is to serve as president. It follows then that the Republicans will affirm her candidacy.
15
Well, none of this is about learning; it's about control.
19
If Betsy De Vos is approved as secretary of education, the Republican administration will have revealed its lack of interest in children and their real needs.
14
Betsy DeVos is powered by god, at least in her own opinion and the opinions of a great many of her Republican supporters. This makes it easy for them to ignore her biases, plagiarism, and general incompetence. Besides, she's got a ton of money, and who knows where a few quarters might roll?
In answer to my own email expressing my concerns, Senator Lamar Alexander's office returned a long, canned reply which, in a nutshell, said she's perfect and WILL be confirmed. I know he's wrong on the first count, and sincerely hope he's mistaken on the second.
In answer to my own email expressing my concerns, Senator Lamar Alexander's office returned a long, canned reply which, in a nutshell, said she's perfect and WILL be confirmed. I know he's wrong on the first count, and sincerely hope he's mistaken on the second.
13
DeVos is powered by money, the God label is just there as window dressing.
7
There are four more Republican women senators to focus on. Should be able to get one or more of the Republican senators. However, with some trepidation about being hit by the PC brigade, I submit that an emotional and maternal gender difference may be useful. That will particularly be so if they went to public schools and sent their children to public schools. Look to those characteristics in the men as well. Problem in my area of the US is that the straying from the Republican Party line here may be concerned about reelection.
9
Quality education requires many things. First, it requires a society that values education instead of demonizing the educated as "nerds" or "elites". Second, it requires parents who value education and have time and resources to enrich their children's life experiences through travel, reading and constructive/creative use of time. Third, it requires building administrators who are invested in education practices that are backed with scientific evidence instead of falling prey to the latest education fad. Fourth, it requires policy makers at the federal and state levels to set high but reasonable standards and focus less on arcane measures of performance and growth and focus more on facilitating practices that actually lead to more consistent growth. Fifth, it requires teachers who are proficient in and passionate about their subject areas and are thoroughly dedicated to helping children achieve to the best of their abilities. And, sixth, it requires children who are actually willing to invest in their own education. As a teacher who is finishing his 29th year of teaching, a teacher who is well-known in the district for having the qualities that make for a good teacher, it so often amazes me how lacking in so many of these other ingredients our society is. Even suggesting a grifter like Betsy DeVos reveals the contempt the GOP has for our country's commitment to public education and how willing they are to throw public schools to the wolves to advance their agenda.
387
First of all, thank you for this elegant treatise on what it means to educate our children and for your service to our people. Coming from a family of under educated people, but being a bright child it was my teachers who made the difference in my life, not my parents. I have paid that forward in my son's life, through my advocacy for him, my commitment to my own postgraduate education, and by how we spend our time. Increasingly, me and my educated friends have observed the hostility which is directed to people who pursue higher education and this attitude is not found in other industrialized countries. It is found in lands run by despots, where the educated are often imprisoned or run out of the land. I am writing this response with tears.
131
I agree with your list of requirements. However, this one troubles me. "Second, it requires parents who value education and have time and resources to enrich their children's life experiences through travel, reading and constructive/creative use of time." Are we to simply write off children who are not lucky enough to have such parents? What about those parents who, through the happenstance of their own birth and (lack of) opportunities, do not meet your stringent requirements? Parents who have to work two jobs just to pay the rent and put food on the table won't be able to provide travel and enriching experiences for their children. Do we throw up our hands in despair, and give up on those children?
I agree 100 per cent with Mark. I am a Canadian but I spent two years in university in your country. I am shocked and outraged to hear just 3% of your budget is spent on education. It just shows where the US is headed when 16% in spent on the war machine. Those numbers should be reversed if you want a truly democratic country and not one run by the rich and ignorant like Devos. She most likely now is lobbying Republican senators with million dollar bribes to vote for her. She has a billion so what is a paltry $50 million for bribes? A measure of a country's wealth is how well educated is its population. It seems the US is on the road to becoming educationaly bankrupt especially if Trump has his way.
4
"But Ms. DeVos is not the first nominee to lack hands-on experience in running a school system or to hold controversial views."
It goes much deeper with Ms. DeVos. She has barely even set foot inside a public school. Neither she nor her children were educated, at any point, in public schools. A brief reference to mentoring in a public school was all she could point to on her CV.
Moreover, Ms. DeVos believes in religious and private, not public, schooling. She does not want our public education to succeed. Ms. De Vos cannot be entrusted with a resource she works against.
It goes much deeper with Ms. DeVos. She has barely even set foot inside a public school. Neither she nor her children were educated, at any point, in public schools. A brief reference to mentoring in a public school was all she could point to on her CV.
Moreover, Ms. DeVos believes in religious and private, not public, schooling. She does not want our public education to succeed. Ms. De Vos cannot be entrusted with a resource she works against.
24
It is amazing to me how this administration can continually lower the bar when it is already on the ground.
14
Ignorant of Federal Education Law is putting it too mildly. If Ms. DeVos had an ounce of pride and integrity, she would thank Mr. Trump for considering her and remove herself from consideration. She is so totally wrong—as are all of Trump's cabinet nominees, for this position. The future of education, hence the future of our children and our country's future are what is at stake here.
14
The heck with the children!
1
Maybe it was smart to put the lightning rod on the part of the barn where the least is done. States have far more to say about education than figureheads in Washington DC. If Trump loses that part of the barn, he's still got the parts that matters most to him up and running undamaged.
1
I live in Maine, so I was hopeful that Senator Collins would do the right thing and vote against DeVos' nomination in committee. It would have killed this nightmare in its tracks.
Instead, as is her custom, Senator Collins made a few statements about her concerns but then voted with her party anyway. Now it appears that even if she and Senator Murkowski stay true to their word on the floor vote, DeVos will still be confirmed by tiebreaker.
How low can we go before our politicians put the nation's interest ahead of their own? What would it take for these people to actually break ranks, and not simply throw a few fig leaves around? What's changed from the old days is that some these current nominees are not even minimally qualified for their proposed functions. I thought the Senate's role was to weed those people out. Silly me.
Instead, as is her custom, Senator Collins made a few statements about her concerns but then voted with her party anyway. Now it appears that even if she and Senator Murkowski stay true to their word on the floor vote, DeVos will still be confirmed by tiebreaker.
How low can we go before our politicians put the nation's interest ahead of their own? What would it take for these people to actually break ranks, and not simply throw a few fig leaves around? What's changed from the old days is that some these current nominees are not even minimally qualified for their proposed functions. I thought the Senate's role was to weed those people out. Silly me.
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Betsy DeVos is the singularly least qualified person in the Cabinet, though our Housing secretary whom I refuse to name is right up there.
She holds no experience whatsoever in public office or education, and she has never put her children through the public school system. She knows nothing about student loans, being married into the Amway family. Over the past decade she's pushed for charter school reforms that completely decimated Michigan's public school system, particularly for impoverished students in underfunded districts in Detroit.
Charter schools don't improve academic performance or outcomes, but she will push a bill that deprives Americans of the greatest tool they have for improving social and financial outcomes in life: education. Access to quality K-12 education is a right of every child here, and someone like DeVos cares nothing about preparing children for the future, enabling those in a cycle of poverty to step out, or ensure our next generation will be productive, active, and healthy adults with a strong understanding of the world around them. She's driven by profit margins and ideology.
Teachers and parents are a great litmus test for a Secretary of Education pick. How much louder do they have to shout for another senator to turn?
She holds no experience whatsoever in public office or education, and she has never put her children through the public school system. She knows nothing about student loans, being married into the Amway family. Over the past decade she's pushed for charter school reforms that completely decimated Michigan's public school system, particularly for impoverished students in underfunded districts in Detroit.
Charter schools don't improve academic performance or outcomes, but she will push a bill that deprives Americans of the greatest tool they have for improving social and financial outcomes in life: education. Access to quality K-12 education is a right of every child here, and someone like DeVos cares nothing about preparing children for the future, enabling those in a cycle of poverty to step out, or ensure our next generation will be productive, active, and healthy adults with a strong understanding of the world around them. She's driven by profit margins and ideology.
Teachers and parents are a great litmus test for a Secretary of Education pick. How much louder do they have to shout for another senator to turn?
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How about turning the US student population into a cadre of
Amway Salespeople.
Amway Salespeople.
4
Heartening that so many people can see Ms. DeVos' ineptitude for such a high office.
If only more people had seen the same about Trump.
If only more people had seen the same about Trump.
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Looking back at the election, school choice was one of Mr. Trump's key campaign components and helped to get him elected. A Harvard study last year, published in Education Next, found wide discrepancy between teachers (who largely oppose any type of school choice) and parents (who largely support one or another form of school choice. One surprising fact was that African-American and Hispanic parents prefer vouchers for sending their children to private schools. Only a small percentage of African-Americans voted for Trump, but that has little to do with the surprising concurrence of opinion on school choice.
No, Mr. Whitehurst. Mrs. DeVos is a victim of her past disdainful statements about public schools, her privileged private school background, and the ignorance and evasiveness she displayed in her hearing.
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They all have priveleged backgrounds. I have one, too. It has not made me a victim because I have always chosen not to be ignorant.
If she were less ignorant, she would not have to be evasive. At her hearing, I wondered about her vocabulary... was that the problem?
If she were less ignorant, she would not have to be evasive. At her hearing, I wondered about her vocabulary... was that the problem?
4
Opposing this incompetent and corrupt nominee should unite people across the political divide. It's not just teachers' unions and liberals who are troubled by her. It's anyone who is concerned about encouraging accountability and restraining rich political elites.
DeVos needs to find a new vanity project. It should not be our public education system.
DeVos needs to find a new vanity project. It should not be our public education system.
101
How can DeVos be a "victim" of her poor performance? Like Trump is a victim of factual reporting?
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she did not display any inkling of how
poorly she performed....
hmmm
poorly she performed....
hmmm
"Poor Mrs. DeVos" couldn't answer questions about American laws of public education, refused to say that educational standards should be applied equally to public and private schools, and invests her millions in the private schools she wants to enrich with vouchers. "Poor Mrs. DeVos" indeed...poor in brains, morals, and character.
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With all due respect, Concerned Citizen, " "Poor Mrs. DeVos" indeed...poor in brains, morals, and character."
She is chosen by our President. Our President! Sounds to me we are "poor in brains, morals and character" to allow such a jerk to be our leader.
She is chosen by our President. Our President! Sounds to me we are "poor in brains, morals and character" to allow such a jerk to be our leader.
4
She's a victim of her own partisan incompetence and an activist public. Kudos to US for holding Congress's feet to the fire!
21
Many of those calls are from concerned parents. Concerned, as am I, because she does not know the difference between a proficiently metric and a growth metric, and she was clueless about IDEA, the civll right that entitles children with disabilities to special education. Whatever her educational philosophies, they are undermined and undercut by her lack understanding of public education. She is unqualified; Trump can find someone who is.
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No he can't, because he is unqualified.
5
A hearing in which DeVos "seemed" ignorant? Come on, NY Times!! This is the type of reporting that got us into the Iraq War, got us Trumputin, and will get us right into a dictatorship in which most of us will not fare well at all.
She WAS ignorant. Remember that you had courage last week: you used the word "lied." Please, find your spine, find your courage, and report like your lives depend on it. Because they very well may.
She WAS ignorant. Remember that you had courage last week: you used the word "lied." Please, find your spine, find your courage, and report like your lives depend on it. Because they very well may.
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She didn't seem ignorant. She was ignorant of basic concepts related to schools and education. That is what concerned me. There are lots of people who I may not agree with but that alone should not be a reason to not confirm her. A lack of basic knowledge of schools and a track record of having no interest in supporting schools is a valid reason. My own Senator (Toomey) got $60000 from her for campaigns and surprise!! he will support her. I could not even leave a voice mail at his office (a strategy often used by sleazy businesses I might add) and my email got no response. I am quite confident that were she to have been nominated by a democrat, republicans would point out her many and obvious weaknesses.
9
Worse, it is willful ignorance.
6
It appears that Ms. DeVos would be poison for the public school system in America but it does make me furious that the only WOMAN The Con Don appointed to a cabinet position is under attack.
It is NOT acceptable and ALL women should be loudly protesting the GENDER DISCRIMINATION taking place in OUR hallowed halls of governance.
It is NOT acceptable and ALL women should be loudly protesting the GENDER DISCRIMINATION taking place in OUR hallowed halls of governance.
It seems to me that DeVos' true goal is to usher more children into a Christian education. That can not be the goal of someone who's job is to champion public schools for all children.
40
It is past time for new blood and new ideas in the education department!! I wish Ms. Devos luck and applaud her new ideas to improve public education in this country.
4
Even if she destroys the opportunity for every student to get an education in a publicly funded school - those that have provided equality and integration over many years? Charter schools are mostly for profit - that is the profit of the owners - not the profit of the students.
9
OK, then...what ARE her ideas? If she doesn't understand the system, how will she know what the fix is?
9
Please name three of those ideas and provide the details of how you think they will help education in the U.S.
11
The teacher's unions are out in full force against any changes against their mediocre practice.
5
Insulting educators will not make America "great again." But hey, let's dismantle public education and give our tax dollars to the billionaires instead.
20
What's a "mediocre practice?"
1
Really, just one Republican Senator with a conscience is all we need. There must be one . . . just one . . . please let there be one.
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Ignorant, yes, but a multibillionaire. Which counts more?
35
In this dystopian world, of course, money counts. This woman is called a philanthropist, blithely, with no examination of what causes she supports. I've poked around to find she supports Dominion Theology. We don't need someone who wants a theocracy.
7
"Betsy DeVos: the worst person to be around schoolbooks since Lee Harvey Oswald."
--Bill Maher
--Bill Maher
49
Did Bill Maher send his children to public schools (if he has them)?
She is not qualified!
17
Maybe Mrs. DeVos thought she was already Secretary of Education and didn't have to know those pesky facts. Or maybe she, like Trump, figured she'd drown out the opposition with her YUGE popularity, the sort she has by being rich, nominated, and able to do whatever she wants.
I have no doubt she cares about education. The question is what type of education and for whom. We'd do better by public education in this country if we stopped relying upon local taxes to support it and had a better distribution so as to give economically disadvantaged children what they need before they set foot in school. We'd also do better if, instead of pushing students to attend college, we upgraded and updated high school education to include paths that do not lead to college but lead to good jobs with the potential to move past poverty level wages.
She could have spoken about why there is no reason for a high school graduate to be unable to make a decent living. She could have immersed herself in the details of what a homeless family goes through when it comes to their children's education. Hint: the last thing they care about are grizzly bears. Even if Secretary of Education is not a major post in the government it's not one to be treated like a reward for support. There ought to be someone in it who has some idea of how public education works, what the current debates are, and with a vested interest in improving it, not destroying it.
I have no doubt she cares about education. The question is what type of education and for whom. We'd do better by public education in this country if we stopped relying upon local taxes to support it and had a better distribution so as to give economically disadvantaged children what they need before they set foot in school. We'd also do better if, instead of pushing students to attend college, we upgraded and updated high school education to include paths that do not lead to college but lead to good jobs with the potential to move past poverty level wages.
She could have spoken about why there is no reason for a high school graduate to be unable to make a decent living. She could have immersed herself in the details of what a homeless family goes through when it comes to their children's education. Hint: the last thing they care about are grizzly bears. Even if Secretary of Education is not a major post in the government it's not one to be treated like a reward for support. There ought to be someone in it who has some idea of how public education works, what the current debates are, and with a vested interest in improving it, not destroying it.
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She doesn't believe in "education." She believes in making a profit and indoctrinating children in right-wing ideology, in that order.
6
she didn't even bother to memorize facts....
4
This is the problem:
There are so many unqualified picks for the plutocratic cabinet, Democrats feel they have to pick and choose their fights. Every single one of these filthy-rich cabinet nominees is unqualified (except for Chao, who is married to McConnell) and nearly every single one has ethics issues. It's as if we're being given the middle finger by the pseudo-plutocrat Trump.
I'm so tired of Fox-brain-washed middle America giving all the power to the Republicans and thinking this is making America great again, and thinking they are going to help them and their lives.
There are so many unqualified picks for the plutocratic cabinet, Democrats feel they have to pick and choose their fights. Every single one of these filthy-rich cabinet nominees is unqualified (except for Chao, who is married to McConnell) and nearly every single one has ethics issues. It's as if we're being given the middle finger by the pseudo-plutocrat Trump.
I'm so tired of Fox-brain-washed middle America giving all the power to the Republicans and thinking this is making America great again, and thinking they are going to help them and their lives.
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If our children truly are our future than this is one battle worth fighting. Whether only 3% of the budget or not.
3
The "filthy rich" When will the unwashed liberals bring on the guillotine?
2
Chao is unqualified because she has an inherent conflict by being married to Senator Mitch McConnell. You don't think the lady's policies will be influenced by her husband's politics? Think again. There is a good reason for fobidding nepotism in government - favors which otherwise would have no role in decision making.
Chao is simply educated, has relevant experience, and a known work history. The bar for acceptance is low in the Trump appointments chamber of horrors.
Chao is simply educated, has relevant experience, and a known work history. The bar for acceptance is low in the Trump appointments chamber of horrors.
5
This is one of the problems: "Education accounts for a paltry 3 percent of the federal budget, compared with 24 percent for Social Security and 16 percent for defense." First of all, Social Security, as I understand it, was supposed to be self-funded by employers and employees as retirees collected. But to allocate so little money to education explains a lot.
There is no silver bullet to meaningful education reform. For kids to do well, they need interested parents. good teachers. and excellent principals. Teaching methods have improved over the decades. Now there are multiple ways to teach kids in ways that make sense to them (aural, visual, tactile, for example). Schools are physically falling apart. Money must be allocated to repair them and make them conducive to learning by today's standards.
There is no silver bullet to meaningful education reform. For kids to do well, they need interested parents. good teachers. and excellent principals. Teaching methods have improved over the decades. Now there are multiple ways to teach kids in ways that make sense to them (aural, visual, tactile, for example). Schools are physically falling apart. Money must be allocated to repair them and make them conducive to learning by today's standards.
38
"First of all, Social Security, as I understand it, was supposed to be self-funded by employers and employees as retirees collected"....
That is correct. As one of those retirees, I am tired of being treated as a "budget item" that someone is looking to cut. I would like to see Social Security as a separate "branch" of the Federal treasury whose sole responsibility it is to fund and operate the system.
Also agreed, if we fix broken families and communities, the educational problems will be fixable as well.
That is correct. As one of those retirees, I am tired of being treated as a "budget item" that someone is looking to cut. I would like to see Social Security as a separate "branch" of the Federal treasury whose sole responsibility it is to fund and operate the system.
Also agreed, if we fix broken families and communities, the educational problems will be fixable as well.
11
High volume of calls in opposition? What else would you expect in a field that has successfully opposed accountability and market-wages for decades while helping hold back U.S. pupils vs. the rest of the world, and wasted trillions of dollars while improving pupil outcomes minimally.
12
And where there is constant parental interference because parents think that they know how to teach. The public has very little understanding about education, doesn't want to spend money on it, prefers to treat teachers like servants, and refuses to look at how a national standard would benefit every student. No, Americans believe that their children have to feel good about themselves before they can learn. They also prefer their children to excel in sports rather than doing the hard work that comes with learning. They prefer to complain that their child didn't get an A while someone else's did.
Here's what Americans need to understand:
1. A C is not a bad grade if the standards are high enough.
2. An A for effort is just that.
3. College is not for everyone.
4. All normal students should graduate from high school prepared for a job or college. In other words a high school degree should mean something.
5. Sports is not the most important part of an education.
Here's what Americans need to understand:
1. A C is not a bad grade if the standards are high enough.
2. An A for effort is just that.
3. College is not for everyone.
4. All normal students should graduate from high school prepared for a job or college. In other words a high school degree should mean something.
5. Sports is not the most important part of an education.
49
"successfully opposed accountability "....
Interesting, did you read the article? Even the "not for profit" charter schools are concerned regarding her efforts to "beat back" accountability for the so-called "for profit" charter schools. And, please, with that "rest of the world" stuff.
Interesting, did you read the article? Even the "not for profit" charter schools are concerned regarding her efforts to "beat back" accountability for the so-called "for profit" charter schools. And, please, with that "rest of the world" stuff.
46
What utter nonsense. It's Ms. DeVos who does not want her "most favored" charter schools to be held accountable through standardized testing. Ask the good people of Michigan how they feel about this woman. She is advocating doing away with the "public" in public schools and creating more "for-profit" private academies that will not be held accountable to anyone. They basically take the money and run. Ask what the failure rate is for those same charter schools, and when they are shut down, they DO NOT reimburse the State the money that was already allocated, and the students are left to fend for themselves, eventually ending up back at public schools that have already lost millions in funding. And since when do public tax dollars go to parochial schools? Ms. DeVos is real big on sending the money to Christian schools, Catholic schools, hey why not Muslim charter schools? Won't that be interesting.
51