Trump To Nominate Betsy DeVos For Education Secretary

Another pick is in. President-elect Trump will nominate Betsy DeVos for education secretary. He describes her as a “brilliant and passionate education advocate.”

“Under her leadership we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families. I am pleased to nominate Betsy as Secretary of the Department of Education,” Trump said.

I don’t know much about DeVos, but word has it she’s for school choice and an advocate for vouchers.

DeVos is a vocal advocate of school choice and vouchers to allow parents to send their children to alternative schools. Those policies are strongly opposed by teachers unions. She is the current chairwoman of the American Federation for Children, an education advocacy group pushing school choice policies.

Some say she might have trouble winning over all conservatives, though. She’s haunted by her past support of Common Core. Well, let me clarify. She supported the standards at the state level but opposed them at the federal level.

DeVos originally supported the controversial standards at the state level, and funded a group, the Great Lakes Education Project, to promote them. A source familiar with her thinking said earlier this month that she opposed Common Core once it became a federal standard.

Despite the controversy, she has accepted the position.

“I am honored to accept this responsibility to work with the President-elect on his vision to make American education great again,” DeVos said. “The status quo in education is not acceptable. Together, we can work to make transformational change that ensures every student in America has the opportunity to fulfill his or her highest potential.”

Believe it or not, Jeb! Bush is totally praising Trump’s choice.

It sounds like a step in the right direction, but at this point, I don’t know enough about her to say for sure.