Should Progressives Help Secretary DeVos?
These are difficult times for fence-sitters and for those who take a stand. For example, the leaders of IBM and Tesla are in hot water because they continue to serve on President Trump’s Economic Advisory Council. Why serve? Because, as one said, it’s better to be on the inside where he might be able to be a voice of moderation. And poor Uber: its founder didn’t resign quickly enough for some former Uber fans, who are now using Lyft or Juno instead, while others Uber users are boycotting precisely because he did jump ship.
Anheuser-Busch is being both praised and pilloried for a Super Bowl commercial that celebrated the immigration stories of its two founders. It’s widely reported that many businesses have set up ‘war rooms’ to work out how to deal with an unpredictable President.
What about education, where the controversial Betsy DeVos is now serving as Secretary after a grueling confirmation process that required a tie-breaking vote by the Vice President, a first in our nation’s history? Even with questioning severely limited by Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R, TE), the hearing revealed how little she understands public education, while her own track record in Michigan demonstrates her commitment to vouchers, for-profit and virtual charter schools, and minimal accountability.
However, she is our Secretary of Education. As such, should progressives offer to work for her and with her, to help her understand the historic purposes and accomplishments of public schools? She’s a smart woman, and perhaps she’d appreciate assistance from people whose sense of history and familiarity with Washington could help improve all public education.
Last week a college friend (with whom I have never discussed politics) wrote and Should Progressives Help Secretary DeVos? | The Merrow Report: