Murray: I really am troubled by some of the comments and things you said about public education – how you see the role of the department you’ve been nominated to lead now. So my first question for you really is – yes or no, that’s all I want is a yes or no – do you believe that the mission of the Department of Education should be to strengthen public education for all of our students?
DeVos: Yes, I do.
Murray: Good – so can you commit to us tonight that you will not work to privatize public schools or cut a single penny from public education?
DeVos: Senator – thanks for that question. Um…I look forward – if confirmed – to working with you to talk about how we address the needs of all parents and all students, and we acknowledged today that not all schools are working for the students that are assigned to them, and I’m hopeful that we can work together to find common ground and ways that we can solve those issues and empower parents to make choices on behalf of their children that are right for them.
Murray: I take that as not being willing to commit to not privatizing public schools or cutting money from education?
DeVos: Well, well, I guess wouldn’t characterize it in that way.
Murray: Well, ok.
Patty Murray is both disgusting and a blithering idiot, and she proves it every time she opens that trap of hers. How this idiot gets elected is beyond me!
They should remove the cameras, which would reduce the grandstanding, at least a little.
IMO DeVos is right on about parental primacy and choice in education.
What I am concerned about is the fact she seems not concerned about the Common Core curriculum and methodology as well as its predecessors which is a damaging conventional wisdom about content and method which has permeated the American education profession. It is said her money is printing and selling Common Core acceptable textbooks.
There is nothing better suited as a basis for all careers and professions than a classical methodology and curriculum for all children in the early years.
I encourage all interested to look at the online essay by Dorothy Sayers, “The Lost Tools of Learning”. Also investigate a school in the Rio Grand Valley utilizing the principles set forth in that essay.
When a private business owner refuses to serve a customer for whatever reason, we are told that it is a public business.
When a private school wants to control the criteria for teachers and students, we are told it must follow the public standards.
But when we want to let the parents control where to send their children and control the money for those children, then suddenly the school becomes private.
He who controls the language.....