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A handful of Capital Region school boards have gone public in their opposition to Betsy DeVos, an education advocate tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the nation’s education department.
Boards of education in Albany, Bethlehem and Schenectady have issued resolutions in recent weeks opposing the Michigan billionaire’s confirmation as U.S. education secretary, a move that appeared likely but not definite Tuesday afternoon.
Albany school board President Sue Adler said Monday the nation should not put its educational leadership “into the hands of a person who not only lacks the qualifications to fill the critical post for which she has been nominated, but who also has waged a personal war against public education.”
Known in the education world for her support of school choice, DeVos is admired by families who say when it comes to educating their children they deserve options beyond traditional public schools. These options come in the form of charter schools, private schools and religious schools and are often funded with a mix of public and private funds.
Teachers unions and public school officials argue these options drain money from the public school system, which educates the vast majority of children in the U.S. and is Liderbahis subject to stricter oversight and regulations.
Reaction to DeVos has crossed traditional divides, with school choice advocates joining those on the left who describe her lack of experience, credentials and knowledge of education policy and issues as alarming.
At her confirmation hearing on Jan. 17, DeVos struggled to answer questions about the federal law guaranteeing rights for disabled children and refused to say whether she would hold all schools to the same accountability measures.
Critics also point out that DeVos has no experience with the public school system, having received her own education from Christian schools. In particular, the critics take issue with comments she made in 2015 that described public schools as a “dead end.”
Schenectady’s school board members pointed to the “abject failure” of Detroit charter schools — an initiative bankrolled by DeVos — as reason to oppose her.
bbump@timesunion.com • 518-454-5387 • @bethanybump
View Albany’s resolution below.
DeVos Resolution Final 1 17 by Bethany on Scribd
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