As DeVos exits, where does education go next? - CSMonitor.com

As DeVos exits, where does education go next? - CSMonitor.com

As DeVos exits, where does education go next?

WHY WE WROTE THIS

Secretary of education isn’t typically a prominent Cabinet position. But the resignation of Betsy DeVos, whose tenure brought considerable controversy, is prompting discussion about where education should go from here. 

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is one of the highest profile Cabinet members to resign from President Donald Trump’s administration, writing in the wake of the rampage at the Capitol, “Impressionable children are watching all of this, and they are learning from us.” 

“There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me,” she wrote to the president on Jan. 7.

Her departure on Friday was a dramatic finale for one of the longest-serving, and most controversial, members of President Trump’s senior administrative team – ending one of the most highly charged tenures in the history of the Education Department.

For four years, scholars say, Ms. DeVos used the bully pulpit of the department to fundamentally shift the American conversation around schools. In her dogged pursuit of what many saw as a radical, free market approach, she unraveled a decadeslong truce between Republicans and Democrats when it came to education policy. She advocated for school choice, including vouchers for private and parochial schools, and regularly attempted to cut the funding of her own department, saying publicly that she would be happy to work herself out of a job. On her way out the door she made available $2.75 billion in funds earmarked for non-public schools in the relief act signed into law in December.

While many supporters praised her resignation as courageous, and offered glowing reviews of her tenure as secretary, critics called the move “hypocritical.” Her rhetoric, they claimed, had helped fuel the anger and anti-government sentiments that many of the Trump supporters expressed Wednesday. Many on the left also saw Ms. DeVos as undermining what had long been a bipartisan commitment to public schools and also systematically dismantling civil rights protections for students. CONTINUE READING: As DeVos exits, where does education go next? - CSMonitor.com

Betsy DeVos’ Resignation Letter | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog

Betsy DeVos’ Resignation Letter | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog

Betsy DeVos’ Resignation Letter

Below is the full text of now-former US ed sec Betsy DeVos’ resignation letter.

 

The Secretary of Education

Washington, DC  20202

January 7, 2021

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

Washington, DC  20500

 

Dear Mr. President:

For more than thirty years, I have fought on behalf of America’s students to expand the options they have to pursue a world-class education. As you know, too many of them are denied an equal opportunity to a high-quality education simply because of where they grow up or how much money their family makes. You rightly have called this one of the most significant civil rights issues of all time.

Leading the US Department of Education had given me an exceptional opportunity to advocate on behalf of the forgotten students the traditional system leaves behind. We have achieved much.

We have sparked a national conversation about putting students and parents in charge of education, leading to expanded school choice and education freedom in many states. We have restored the proper federal role by returning power to the states, communities, educators, and parents. We have returned due process to our nation’s schools and defended the First Amendment rights of students and teachers. We have dramatically improved the way students interact with Federal Student Aid. We have lifted up students by restoring year-round Pell, expanding Second Chance Pell, delivering unprecedented opportunities for students at HBCUs, and so much more.

Finally, Mr. President, I know with certainty that history will show we were correct CONTINUE READING: Betsy DeVos’ Resignation Letter | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog

‘Good riddance’ and other reactions to resignation of Education Betsy DeVos - The Washington Post

‘Good riddance’ and other reactions to resignation of Education Betsy DeVos - The Washington Post

‘Good riddance’ and other reactions to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s resignation

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has turned in her resignation, effective Friday, and after four years of her highly controversial tenure, the reaction is coming in thick and fast.

DeVos, a Michigan billionaire who called public schools a “dead end” before she became education secretary in 2017, was a hero to conservatives who wanted to expand charter schools, school vouchers and other alternatives to traditional school districts.

Critics saw her as a longtime leader of the movement to privatize education who got the job despite having no experience as a teacher or even a public school student — and her departure is delighting them. For example, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teachers union in the country, had two words for her: “Good riddance.”

DeVos and Weingarten had a mutually critical relationship: Weingarten accused DeVos of undermining public education and DeVos accused the teachers unions of wanting to maintain “the status quo” and caring only about their members.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the country, was equally direct, tweeting: “Her complicity, cowardice, and complete incompetence will be her legacy.”

Betsy DeVos resigns as Education secretary, citing Trump’s role in riot

DeVos also antagonized teachers, Democratic legislators, parents and others with her policies. Some critics slammed her on social media for resigning now after spending four years standing by President Trump no matter how damaging his policies were to children.

Even some who supported her school-choice policies did not do much to praise her tenure Thursday night in their social media reactions CONTINUE READING: ‘Good riddance’ and other reactions to resignation of Education Betsy DeVos - The Washington Post

Mitchell Robinson: Betsy DeVos Resigns | Eclectablog

Betsy DeVos Resigns | Eclectablog

Betsy DeVos Resigns

I wish I could find more satisfaction in something I’ve hoped would happen for 4 years.

But as usual, Ms. DeVos did the absolute least she could do (resign), well past the time when it could have made a difference (with 13 days left in her lamest of all duck terms), and is probably only doing it to avoid doing something she doesn’t want to do (invoke the 25th Amendment).

DeVos resigned, allegedly, because her boss’ insurrection attempt was an “inflection point” she simply couldn’t ignore.

• Not gutting regulations intended to protect students, many of whom are veterans, minorities, and first-generation college attendees, from being defrauded by predatory schools and colleges, and putting the interests of these for-profit colleges—some of which she has personal financial interests in—ahead of students. She ignored that.
• Not dismissing civil rights complaints and ripping up guidance that urged public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms that conform to their gender identity. She ignored that.
• Not rolling back sexual assault policies on college campuses, establishing a higher bar for victims reporting complaints, and forcing survivors to be cross-examined by their attackers in CONTINUE READING: Betsy DeVos Resigns | Eclectablog

Betsy DeVos Resigns, Citing Trump’s Support for Insurrection | Diane Ravitch's blog

Betsy DeVos Resigns, Citing Trump’s Support for Insurrection | Diane Ravitch's blog

Betsy DeVos Resigns, Citing Trump’s Support for Insurrection

With only a few days left in Trump’s term of office, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos resigned. She says she objected to his rhetoric in inciting the insurrection of his devoted loyalists. This is certainly an anti-climax. DeVos had to clear out anyway, but by resigning now she avoids the painful decision about forcing Trump to resign by the terms of the 25th Amendment. Whether she resigns or stays is irrelevant. Whether she uses her position to force the ouster of a malevolent, incompetent president does matter. She opted out.

The Washington Post reported:

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos submitted her resignation Thursday, citing the president’s role in the riot on Capitol Hill.
“There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me,” she wrote in a letter to President Trump. The behavior of the “violent protestors overrunning theh U.S. Capitol” was “unconscionable,” she wrote.


“Impressionable children are watching all of this, and they are learning from us. I believe we each have a moral obligation to exercise good judgment and model the CONTINUE READING: Betsy DeVos Resigns, Citing Trump’s Support for Insurrection | Diane Ravitch's blog

CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy DeVos Bails Out

CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy DeVos Bails Out

Betsy DeVos Bails Out

Well, she finally had enough.

DeVos blamed Trumpian rhetoric for the riots, called it an "inflection point" for her, and became one more GOP Trump-fluffer to suddenly discover her shock and outrage for exactly the same kind of shit that he's been doing for four years. I mean, there's something deeply disingenuous about watching someone throw gasoline and matches around for four years and only getting all pearl clutchy and knicker twisty when the completely predictable fire actually starts.  

She also said "Impressionable children are watching all of this, and they are learning from us. I believe we each have a moral obligation to exercise good judgement and model the behavior we hope they would emulate." Which is as true today as it was when President Pussy-grabber talked about shithole countries and very fine people on both sides. It's an odd time to suddenly grow scruples. But at this point, I guess the wounded lame duck can't really do anything for her. The full letter can be read here. It actually starts with another rehearsal of her "accomplishments" as ed secretary.

She helped build this. She stroked his ego, gave him credit for having a hand in education policies when he mostly ignored the department. She is just one of the many enablers who taught him that he need not consider the consequences of his actions, words, behavior, ever. Walking away now with a sudden attack of ethical whirlies doesn't change the work she's done over years to build up this circus.

When you make a deal with the devil, sooner or later the bill comes due. DeVos signed up for this clusterfest because she smelled a chance to make her policies everybody's policies. Is  she now CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: Betsy DeVos Bails Out

Betsy DeVos Resigns as Education Secretary - WSJ.com

Betsy DeVos Resigns as Education Secretary - WSJ.com

Betsy DeVos Resigns as Education Secretary

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos submitted her resignation to President Trump on Thursday night, becoming the second member of Mr. Trump's cabinet to resign since pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday.

"We should be highlighting and celebrating your Administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people," Mrs. DeVos wrote in a letter to the president.

"Instead we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protesters overrunning the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business. That behavior was unconscionable for our country. There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me."

She added: "Impressionable children are watching all this, and they are learning from us."

The resignation is effective Friday.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said earlier Thursday she would resign effective Jan. 11, citing the "entirely avoidable" storming of the Capitol building by pro-Trump supporters.

Betsy DeVos Resigns as Education Secretary - WSJ.com