The US public education system lost big today.

What’s going on?

Betsy DeVos was confirmed by the US Senate as Secretary of Education. She just squeaked by, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the deciding, tie-breaking vote. Democrats heavily opposed her nomination for a variety of reasons, but the most relevant is that she is a billionaire who has used her resources to attempt to break the public school system, with the intention of opening it up to private sector exploitation. To that end, she is in favor of charter schools and vouchers for private schools.

Why is it important?

DeVos has made no secret to her opposition of the US public school system as it exists today. She promotes the popular but incorrect belief that the public school system, as a whole, is in a crisis from which it must be rescued. According to BBC News:

Much of the controversy around Mrs DeVos focuses on her support of charter schools, which are publicly funded and set up by teachers, parents, or community groups, outside the state school system. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said [her work in Michigan](https://www.aclumich.org/article/aclu-raises-serious-concerns-over-nomination-devos-secretary-education) involved "elevating for-profit schools with no consideration of the severe harm done to traditional public schools" despite "overwhelming evidence" that charter schools were no more successful than their traditional counterparts. She and her family have also campaigned, albeit unsuccessfully, for a loosening of the oversight of charter schools in Michigan but it is unclear if this is a policy she would pursue further as education secretary. Less oversight of charter schools, critics say, would allow them to pursue a creationist, evangelical agenda. The New York Times reported that she had told a meeting of Christian philanthropists in 2001 that education reform was a way to "[advance God's kingdom](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/opinion/betsy-devos-and-gods-plan-for-schools.html)". Fusion reported that secularists in the US school system faced a "[fierce battle](http://fusion.net/story/384152/trump-devos-falwell-change-education/?utm_campaign=ThisIsFusion&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social)" with Mrs DeVos at the helm.

BBC News’ own analysis of Secretary DeVos’ qualifications gave her a “polite C minus.” She did not attend public school herself, and has no training or education in public school administration or reform, nor as an educator herself. She sees public education as another sphere which can be treated like a typical for-profit sector.

What can I do?

The good news here (to the extent that there is any) is that public schools tend to be under local control, with local school boards and superintendents. It is easy to get involved with your local schools and make your voice heard. Attend school board meetings, reach out to teachers and local administrators. It will take some time for DeVos’ agenda to get rolling, and that is time that can be used to prepare. If you have children of your own or know other local parents, help educate others on why charter schools aren’t a panacea for ailing school systems. Public support for charter schools has less to do with their actual successes, and more to do with frustrations that the existing school system isn’t working well enough, which is itself often more myth than fact.

As with the rest of Trump’s agenda, the fight to save our education system is only beginning.

Photo by tedeytan