Betsy DeVos Nominated as Secretary of Education
Betsy DeVoshas been nominated to lead America’s public schools as Secretary of Education. She is the wife of Amway billionaire Dick DeVos, and the daughter of Edgar Prince, co-founder of hate group Family Research Council. Her brother, Eric Prince, founded mercenary company Blackwater.
Betsy DeVos has been an implacable foe of public education, spending millions of dollars to fund astroturf “advocacy” groups pleading for private charter schools, vouchers, and an end to public school systems. Her nomination as a clear signal that conservatives can expect to loot public education dollars by dismantling state schools systems, destroying teacher unions and shuttling children to for-profit conservative run schools that teach creationism and Christian bowdlerized versions of American history.
By 2009, it was becoming apparent that school choice was not a silver bullet for improving standardi0ed test scores after a Stanford University study analyzed 2,403 charter schools from 15 states and Washington DC. This did not quell the enthusiasm to use school choice and tax payer monies as a means to send children to schools that teach creationism. Milton Friedman would likely approve since this gets to the heart of free market theory “If parents wish to give their children a poor education, then that is their right” This view is championed by conservative (and wealthy) school privatization advocate Betsy Prince DeVos who has funded her own school choice organization called (somewhat predictably) the American Federation for Children.*
The catastrophe waiting for children, parents and school systems across the nation cannot be overstated: Mrs DeVos will use the levers of her office to destroy schools, channel money to conservative for-profit schools, and provide substandard educations that provide propaganda in place of scientific and historic fact. This is one of the last great opportunities for looting of the public treasuries, and she will grasp it with both hands.
*Creationism in Public Schools: Community Organizing on the Religious Right, Dickey, AnneMarie, 2009, Academia . edu
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