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McCollum: DeVos Nomination Undermines Public Schools, Threatens Civil Rights

January 17, 2017

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is considering President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on the DeVos nomination:

“Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, has a disturbing track record of attacking public education in America and funding an extremist agenda that weakens our public schools.

“Ms. DeVos has no experience in public education other than partisan lobbying to slash funding for public schools, demonize public school teachers, and promote for-profit schooling beginning in kindergarten.

“The unregulated, for-profit charter school system that Ms. DeVos championed in Michigan failed its students. When parents complained and sought more oversight, Ms. DeVos spent millions to ensure that they would get no accountability.

“In addition, Ms. DeVos has steered millions of dollars to groups that oppose LGBT rights. She cannot be trusted to lead a department tasked with ensuring that all students, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, can learn and succeed in school.

“Given her radical record, Ms. DeVos is the wrong person to serve as the lead advocate for America’s students. I urge the Senate to vote down the DeVos nomination.”