Betsy DeVos (Secretary of Education) (Committee vote: 2/1)
Why she is unqualified: Like so many of Trump's other nominees, where do we start?
First things first: understand that Betsy is not and has never been an educator. Her kids have also never attended public school. She's also one of those nominees who is being tapped for financial reasons. She may not have donated significant amounts to Trump himself, but her family is basically as well-known as the Koch brothers. She is also extremely anti LGBTQ.
She has created questionable education challenges for education in Michigan, as the chair of the American Federation for Children. She is basically a lobbyist. Also, Education Week disapproves of her too. Her impact on publication in Michigan has been so mixed, Obama's current Secretary of Education named Michigan as an example of where education is suffering.
She has so many conflicts of interest/is so problematic, Snopes actually fact-checked her as a result.
First things first: understand that Betsy is not and has never been an educator. Her kids have also never attended public school. She's also one of those nominees who is being tapped for financial reasons. She may not have donated significant amounts to Trump himself, but her family is basically as well-known as the Koch brothers. She is also extremely anti LGBTQ.
She has created questionable education challenges for education in Michigan, as the chair of the American Federation for Children. She is basically a lobbyist. Also, Education Week disapproves of her too. Her impact on publication in Michigan has been so mixed, Obama's current Secretary of Education named Michigan as an example of where education is suffering.
She has so many conflicts of interest/is so problematic, Snopes actually fact-checked her as a result.
Post-confirmation hearing: 1/18
Well, that confirmation hearing was a bit of a train wreck, wasn't it? DeVos proved that she basically knows nothing about education, can't decide if she's going to uphold Title IX as it was strengthened under the Obama administration, doesn't think that students with disabilities deserve equal treatment, and apparently, we're all at imminent risk of grizzly bears coming to attack us at our schools.
While the grizzly bear is semi-amusing and sure to be the basis of many, many jokes and memes: we need to understand what this actually means for the state of education in our country.
This means that she knows nothing about education, particularly public school education. And we cannot let someone like that be the Secretary of Education. She would literally be in charge of handling the discourse of education in the country, and it would go off a cliff.
Don't believe me? Here are some videos from the confirmation hearing...
|
|
|
Also, it's worth noting:
DeVos is SO disliked, her hometown organized a protest against her.
It is also worth noting: many think the Dems won't succeed in blocking her. We MUST prove them wrong.
It is also worth noting: many think the Dems won't succeed in blocking her. We MUST prove them wrong.
What to do next?
Now that the committee has had their vote, it's headed to the full senate floor. . Refer back to the Senate confirmation page for a graph explaining how this works.
So what next?
1) Two GOP senators - Collins and Murkowski have stated that they will vote no. We need one more. (Preferably two, so the GOP doesn't try and pull shenanigans w/ ties)
2) Call your SENATORS - whether they are GOP or Dems and tell them to vote NO.
1) Two GOP senators - Collins and Murkowski have stated that they will vote no. We need one more. (Preferably two, so the GOP doesn't try and pull shenanigans w/ ties)
2) Call your SENATORS - whether they are GOP or Dems and tell them to vote NO.
Call script:
If your rep is on the committee, and you call their individual office:
Simple phone script:
You: Hello, my name is [name] and I'm calling from [zip code].
You: I am calling to express my concerns for Besty DeVo's nomination as Education Secretary. Can I ask [rep name] to support his/her colleagues in voting NO on her nomination, when it comes to a full floor vote?
You: Thank you and have a good day!
You: Hello, my name is [name] and I'm calling from [zip code].
You: I am calling to express my concerns for Besty DeVo's nomination as Education Secretary. Can I ask [rep name] to support his/her colleagues in voting NO on her nomination, when it comes to a full floor vote?
You: Thank you and have a good day!
Email script:
For electeds who are NOT on HELP:
Dear [Rep name]:
I am writing to ask that you support your colleagues on the HELP committe in voting no on the nomination of Betsy DeVos.
I have strong concerns about her capacity to serve as Education Secretary; she has demonstrated repeatedly that she does not know anything about education, particularly education in the public sector. Her answers during the confirmation hearing were troubling; particularly her answers on equal treatment between public/private/charter schools that receive federal funding, and her refusal to commit to upholding Title IX.
[insert other reasons applicable to you - e.g. do you think her grizzly comment is ridiculous?]
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Warmest regard,
[name]
[address]
[address]
I am writing to ask that you support your colleagues on the HELP committe in voting no on the nomination of Betsy DeVos.
I have strong concerns about her capacity to serve as Education Secretary; she has demonstrated repeatedly that she does not know anything about education, particularly education in the public sector. Her answers during the confirmation hearing were troubling; particularly her answers on equal treatment between public/private/charter schools that receive federal funding, and her refusal to commit to upholding Title IX.
[insert other reasons applicable to you - e.g. do you think her grizzly comment is ridiculous?]
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Warmest regard,
[name]
[address]
[address]