President Trump’s Secretary of Education pick Betsy DeVos has not been very popular with Democrats and some Republicans. With her recent confirmation, it seems that the U.S. has a new Secretary of Education for better or worse. The billionaire’s official website describes her as, “…a proven leader, an innovator, a disruptor and an advocate…” but some are worried about her lack of experience. Although DeVos served as chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party this was mostly at a state level and her ability to perform at a federal level is largely untested. Her vocal support of private and charter school also make some educators wary. Two Republicans voted against her. One of the them, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said, “I simply cannot support her confirmation.” If Democrats had been successful in recruiting one more Republican senator, DeVos would have been the first Republican Cabinet nominee defeated by a Republican Senate in nearly a century. The vote was close enough to require the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence, which was an unprecedented action in U.S. history.
All of the Blackburn College education majors who wished to express their opinion feel negatively about DeVos and her policies. They felt that DeVos could negatively affect the school system. Junior science education major Jonathan Shaw said, “I feel that she is unqualified, ignorant and all around a poor choice. For better and worse, the federal government has a tremendous amount of influence in the public school system. I feel like she could do a lot of harm. I’d much rather have a career educator who knows the ins and outs of the American school system than a successful business person.”
Another reason many educators feel that DeVos is the wrong choice is that her support of private and charter schools have made her unpopular with some individual educators and teachers’ unions who believe her nomination is detrimental to public schools. North Mac High School history teacher Tina Lowry explained, “She is a $5 million contributor to various GOP candidates. She herself has never attended a public school, nor have her children. She has never taken or paid a student loan, and as Secretary of Education would be managing the government student loan program.” Lowry went on to say that Devos’ lack of formal education experience make her a bad choice. She continued, “DeVos simply has no idea what public education can do when equitable funding is available. Her lack of qualifications for this position is glaring. I am frightened about what her outlandish ideas about coupons and vouchers will do to rural districts. She is simply not the person for this position.” After DeVos’ victory Lowry said, “This is a sad day for public education.”
Devos supporters believe that formal teacher experience is not necessary to act as Secretary of Education. During her confirmation process, DeVos made a point of repeatedly pointing out that she would shrink the federal government’s involvement in schools and devolve control back to the states and their lawmakers. This could be good for teachers and parents who wish to make policy changes because they would only have to operate at a state level. Others praise her for not being a part of the “education establishment.” In any case, U.S. education policies are sure to see some change in the future.