Senate approves completely unqualified Betsy DeVos to Ed Sec’y
VP Pence broke the 50-50 tie (Sens. Murkowski and Collins having broken ranks with the GOP) – the first time a veep has had to do so for a cabinet appointment.
DeVos will be a disaster for rural families:
DeVos’s free-market principles are on full display in Detroit, where for-profit charter school operators have sowed chaos without creating any educational gains. Detroit’s miserable educational outcomes are some of the worst in the nation, and liberals have pointed to them frequently in their objections to DeVos. For Collins and Murkowski, it isn’t so much about what she did as where she did it—in a relatively urban state where, for the most part, the population is dense enough to allow for reasonable selection of one school over another.
…
Critics from rural America have been vociferous in their assessment of a school reformer who, they say, would not benefit their communities.
“Families in rural school districts are actually the least likely in the country to have a choice about where to send their children to school. As a result, a school improvement strategy centered on giving parents more educational choice simply does not apply to these communities,” wrote Max Marchitello of Bellwether Education Partners in a USA Today op-ed. Marchitello noted that 93 percent of rural districts rely on single high schools. In other words, they count on improvement for the schools they have, not a shifting of funds toward choice programs that could weaken existing institutions.
“Simply recycling a reform agenda better suited for urban areas is insufficient to meet the needs of rural schools,” he concluded.
Moreover, in rural America, schools may carry a social weight that they might not in denser areas. In a conversation with The Atlantic, ruralist Karen Eppley of the Pennsylvania State University College of Education argued that Americans in rural regions “tend to be highly involved with their schools; the schools are often the social anchor of the community, and they provide services not available elsewhere, like sports, summer lunch programs, night classes, and food pantries.” As such, they might see “school choice” as a threat to their way of life no less troublesome than free trade or Samantha Bee.
Ironically, the most memorable exchanges of DeVos’s long hearing in front of the Senate committee—Democrats wanted another, but it wasn’t granted—came during questioning by Senator Mike Enzi, a Republican from Wisconsin. In response to a question about rural education, DeVos indicated a passing familiarity with the issue by making reference to a fence in Wapiti, Wyoming, intended to keep out grizzly bears. Later, when Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, pressed DeVos on whether she’d allow guns in schools, she returned to Wapiti, citing the need to keep out “potential grizzlies.”
“Potential grizzlies” became an insta-meme. Several days later, Murkowski and Collins announced they wouldn’t vote for DeVos. Apparently, her vigilance regarding ursine marauders just wasn’t enough to convince them that she understood the needs of rural schools.
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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo
David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.
* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.
45 responses to Senate approves completely unqualified Betsy DeVos to Ed Sec’y
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halfwayin February 7th, 2017 at 12:39
Making sure the United States stays stuck on stupid.
William February 7th, 2017 at 12:42
Are you suggesting that Ms. Devos is unqualified to lead our nations education efforts? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e896248953e81b7867759c0fc136dda79681a4f5e9cee1c43b75ed8b6a69f248.jpg
halfwayin February 7th, 2017 at 13:31
Citizens United makes buying cabinet seats legal.
William February 7th, 2017 at 13:39
Sadly, that is so true.
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 20:42
Yeah, I don’t see that getting overturned anytime soon now.
William February 7th, 2017 at 12:41
C’mon, she paid good money for that job. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f81d78a9a377e71c67ba86fd575da8b78996992079b5655a60e5ca12c1abc05a.jpg
The Original Just Me February 7th, 2017 at 12:52
Barf !
halfwayin February 7th, 2017 at 13:39
Big money has a stranglehold on the process of government.
The numbing reality of how completely corrupted the modern American political system process is bends one’s brain.
And isn’t this the exact reason that the trumpanzee’s voted for this human punchline?
Draining the swamp?
Mike N. February 7th, 2017 at 13:52
I wonder how the evangelicals will feel when their tax money goes for vouchers to Islamic schools…
Kick Frenzy February 7th, 2017 at 14:03
I bet they’d hate it… but it’s not like Trump, DeVos and the rest of the Derp Circus would allow such a thing to happen.
They’ll make sure the money is funneled to Catholic/Christian schools only.
Mike N. February 7th, 2017 at 15:53
Right; tax payer money will be used for school vouchers, as long as they are evangelical schools..
nola878 February 7th, 2017 at 19:05
Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Watson, says she had no idea that Gov. Bobby Jindal’s overhaul of the state’s educational system might mean taxpayer support of Muslim schools.
“I actually support funding for teaching the fundamentals of America’s Founding Fathers’ religion, which is Christianity, in public schools or private schools,” the District 64 Representative said Monday.
“I liked the idea of giving parents the option of sending their children to a public school or a Christian school,” Hodges said.
Hodges mistakenly assumed that “religious” meant “Christian.”
7/7/12
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/louisiana-legislator-upset-school-vouchers-
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 20:41
Well it is a good thing they aren’t critical thinkers, that will never be an idea that will cross their little minds.
whatthe46 February 7th, 2017 at 21:23
watch they stagnate teachers salaries. she said you guys get paid too much. ain’t that a bitch. the only way i can agreeing with her is that the stupid twats who are teachers that voted for *45 should be fired for being irresponsible and not worthy of teaching. clearly they don’t have any morals to boot.
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 21:41
I would like to see her in my shoes for 2 hours, the kids would eat her alive. I work in an inner city middle school, these kids can be tough if you don’t know how to handle them.
whatthe46 February 7th, 2017 at 23:23
girlfriend, it doesn’t have to be inner city. send that bitch to daycare. she would lose her damn mind. LOLOLOL. hell, she would probably advocate to shut down daycare. whew!
Suzanne McFly February 8th, 2017 at 07:31
LMAO!!!!
Kick Frenzy February 7th, 2017 at 14:10
This is terrible.
Also, I find it incredulous that so many humans, that presumably have brains in their skulls, could cast a “Yes” vote for someone so wholly unqualified.
Mike February 7th, 2017 at 14:21
Party over country … Machiavelli would be proud.
She’s more than unqualified … she’s a poster child for buying a Cabinet seat …
Willys41 February 7th, 2017 at 15:58
republicans don’t want an educated electorate. Nobody would vote for them.
mea_mark February 7th, 2017 at 14:46
More minority rule.
labman57 February 7th, 2017 at 14:52
Pay-to-play?
Senate says “OKAY!”
Willys41 February 7th, 2017 at 15:57
Devos represents everything republicans want for education: another generation of ignorant fools.
amersham1046 February 7th, 2017 at 17:40
Trump, setting up another target, go try to keep the heat off himself
Angelo_Frank February 7th, 2017 at 18:13
Republicans hate this country so much that they would vote for such a horrid person who’s chief goal is to destroy the public education system and replace it with a biblical based private school monopoly.
Mike N. February 7th, 2017 at 19:53
A FOR PROFIT bible based private school monopoly!
Mensa Member February 7th, 2017 at 19:54
Poorly educated Americans tend to vote Republican. The GOP has known this for a long time.
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 20:39
Well she is a big cannonball we can use when we are ready to blow up the republican party. A huge group of thieves should be easy to convict. I wonder which one would sell out the others first, my money is on the orange guy.
whatthe46 February 7th, 2017 at 21:20
girl, that orange insult of wasteful oxygen would sell out his own creepy bastard children.
Suzanne McFly February 7th, 2017 at 21:39
Well you aren’t make much of a case against him. They are creepy as hell, how could you not sell them out? lol.
whatthe46 February 7th, 2017 at 23:20
well, damn. LOL i didn’t think of it that way. so, lets just say he’d sell out barron.
Willys41 February 8th, 2017 at 02:22
He would SELL them.
Suzanne McFly February 8th, 2017 at 07:30
Alright, I can agree with that. I can’t throw a child under the bus.
Buford2k11 February 7th, 2017 at 20:45
Congress can stop this if they wanted…this is proof that the gop will not govern for the people…I say we start calling for her resignation, before she is sworn in…Ummm…we are being bullied by the gop…they are ramming these people and policies down the throats of the real majority of Americans…congress is responsible for all that happens next…we know trump is off his rocker, and is a sad replica of what he may have been at one time…trump is not capable of doing this job, and bannon is stepping in…pence is the key in this drama if the 25 th is applied…so, I think pence is milking it, as far as he can, in conjunction with ryan and mcconnell…trump/bannon are the diversion, while pence and the gop do the real dirty shit…unless I am wrong, then, never mind………….
Larry Schmitt February 7th, 2017 at 20:46
Dana Milbank in the Post said it may actually be a good thing they confirmed her. At least trump didn’t pick someone who would actually be up to the job of tearing the educational system down.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 12:39
She will be only a Front Person for Bannon and Company.
labman57 February 7th, 2017 at 20:56
As is the case with many of Trump’s cabinet appointees, DeVos is long on agenda, short on expertise.
Larry Schmitt February 7th, 2017 at 21:13
If you asked her what her agenda is, I doubt she could tell you. She doesn’t know what the word means.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 12:38
The only relief will be that She is never in Her office doing anything. But She will sign the orders that She is given to her by Bannon and Company. Just Like Prickident Trump.
fahvel February 8th, 2017 at 02:46
how does pence able to vote on a self interest thing – I understand the blsht power thing with the vp in general but this seems dramatically like a conflict of interest.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 12:34
But that is the Law.
The Original Just Me February 8th, 2017 at 12:33
The ” Things ” that are taking over Our Government want to send us back to the ” Class ” systems that our fore fathers escaped from in Royalty England. That is why We had a Revolutionary War. That is going to be the Only way We can defeat what WE are letting happen in the U.S. Today. They want an Elite Class and a working low class Society. This POS Education Secretary will divide our education system into two levels, Private Elite Schools financed by US and the Lower Public, Under Financed, System for the common Laborers. WE LET IT HAPPEN. It is OUR FAULT ! Now WE will Suffer.
Bunya February 8th, 2017 at 17:00
Now, who didn’t see this coming? The GOP always get what they want. He could nominate Robert Mugabe to be vice president – and he’ll get it. What’s this you say? It’s “unconstitutional” to nominate a foreign dictator to be part of the American government? So? Trump don’t need no stinkin’ constitution. He’s the new sheriff in town. He don’t need to follow no stinkin’ laws. He’s the president.
We’re f*cked. I plan on staying stoned for the next 4-8 years.
Kick Frenzy February 9th, 2017 at 03:42
I think it’s a good reason for all states to legalize.
Immediately.
Bunya February 9th, 2017 at 11:39
Are you kidding??!? The republicans are proud of their perpetual BS, and as long as the public is buying, they’re selling. The bigger the fish story, the more love he receives from his constituents.