Betsy DeVos: Hearing Highlights Lack of Preparedness to Serve as Secretary of Education

Last night the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held the confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-Elect Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Education. During the course of the hearing it became clear that DeVos – who has never attended a public school, taught in a classroom, or served on a school board – is woefully unprepared to serve as our nation’s Secretary of Education. In case you missed it, we’ve outlined some of the most troubling things from her confirmation hearing:

  • On Defunding Public Schools: DeVos would not commit to preserving funding for public education.
  • On IDEA and the Rights of Students with Disabilities: DeVos asserted that services and legal protections for students with disabilities is a matter that should be left to the states. She also appeared to be unaware that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law.
  • On Guns and Grizzlies in Schools: DeVos seems to believe that guns should be allowed in schools – particularly in case of attacks from grizzly bears. 
  • On Proficiency and Growth: When asked for her thoughts on using proficiency measures vs. growth measures for the purpose of K-12 assessments, DeVos did not know the difference.
  • On Protecting Student Borrowers: DeVos could not say whether she would enforce critical protections for students at for-profit colleges – institutions required to prepare students for gainful employment after graduation.
  • On Sexual Assault and Title IX: When pressed for an answer, DeVos would not commit to upholding the Department of Education’s current guidance on Title IX which helps colleges and universities combat campus sexual assault.
  • On Childcare: When questioned about affordable childcare, billionaire DeVos claimed to understand the financial struggles of working families but was noncommital on making child care more affordable.

 

The Secretary of Education must ensure all students have access to safe, diverse, high-quality public schools. Betsy DeVos has actively worked to stack the deck against public schools, teachers, and students by fighting to gut public education funding and even working against proposals to increase accountability and transparency at for-profits schools that put taxpayer dollars into the pockets of corporations. DeVos’ privatization campaign in Michigan has been a failure for the students and their families. Her track record, combined with her testimony at yesterday’s hearing that demonstrated her lack of knowledge of federal education law and the programs within the Department of Education, show how out-of-touch, unqualified and unprepared she is to serve our nation’s students, teachers and families.