On February 7, Betsy DeVos, Republican billionaire, was confirmed the position of the United States Secretary of Education. The Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education and controls national education policy.
DeVos won by a vote of 51-to-50; the tie-breaker was Vice President Mike Pence’s vote. Her confirmation went under, and continues to be under, harsh criticism from both political parties and concerned citizens. The biggest concerns are DeVos’s lack of experience— a concern many have with several of President Trump’s picks for cabinet— as well as her devotion to charter schools and vouchers.
“If we cannot set aside party loyalty long enough to perform the essential duty of vetting the president’s nominees, what are we even doing here?” questioned Democratic Minnesota Senator Al Franken before the vote.
DeVos may be a philanthropist but she is still an inexperienced businesswoman who will be in charge of the budgets and policies of nearly 100,000 public schools across the nation. Her confirmation likely means she will focus more attention on charter schools and strain the resources of public schools that are already struggling.
“I have serious concerns about a nominee to be secretary of education who has been so involved in one side of the equation, so immersed in the push for vouchers, that she may be unaware of what actually is successful within the public schools, and also what is broken and how to fix them,” said Republican Senator of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski.
Aside from the senators already against the nomination, some senators stood by their duties to represent the people, taking calls and messages from citizens voicing their own concerns.
On the other hand, DeVos’s confirmation for Education Secretary may benefit charter schools and the students currently attending them— it is likely DeVos will push the development of charter schools and limit vouchers which some taxpayers think are a waste of money.
Putting criticism aside, DeVos’s nomination is true to Trump’s interests and views; the confirmation pleases his supporters. For public schools to stay afloat and continue developing, citizens will need to fight for them as they have fought for women’s rights, healthcare, and equality since Trump’s inauguration.
