advertisement

SSN on Facebook SSN on Twitter SSN on YouTube RSS Feed

58 Comments
Politics

Teachers Plan Protests Against Trump Education Secretary Pick Betsy DeVos

November 28, 2016 - 6:45pm
Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos

School choice advocates may have heaped praise upon President-Elect Donald Trump’s Education Secretary pick Betsy DeVos, but teachers aren’t too happy with the future head of the national education system -- and they’re fighting back.

In Florida, teachers are even organizing protests against DeVos, a figure they say is wholly out of touch with the public school system.

School choice advocates praised Trump's selection shortly after the announcement last week, saying it was the right step on a new path for U.S. education. In Florida, powerful state lawmakers even joined in the chorus of positivity about DeVos' new job.

“Students, parents, and education reformers across the United States should be thrilled by the selection of Betsy DeVos to serve as Secretary of Education.  Betsy is a tireless, fearless, and intelligent national leader in high quality education,” House Speaker Richard Corcoran said in a statement. 

But not everyone agreed. 

“Trump stated that she is ‘a brilliant and passionate education advocate’, but her brand of passion is not that of preserving and protecting public education,” wrote a group protesting DeVos in St. Petersburg this week. “She has never attended a public school nor have her children. She has never worked in or for a public school, but has worked actively against them.”

The group of teachers expressed their apprehensions over DeVos’ support of school vouchers, which many public educators vehemently oppose.

"By nominating Betsy DeVos, the Trump administration has demonstrated just how out of touch it is with what works best for students, parents, educators and communities,” National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia said. The NEA is the nation's largest teachers' union.

The Badass Teachers Association,  a group of 80,000 teachers and education activists,  has also taken issue with Trump’s appointment of DeVos.

Members, who call themselves "BATs," say the former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party has used her money and influence to push an agenda which does not benefit public education.

The teachers have also taken issue that none of DeVos’ own children actually attended public school and have criticized her for having no education degree or any experience teaching -- two things they believe are a must-have for anyone who wants to have a job in the education field.

“Students and families across the nation will pay for her lack of understanding that it is the responsibility of elected officials, and the public, to provide a quality public education for all children,” they wrote in a statement. 

“Public education is not a business.  Public education is not a competition.  In competition and business there are winners and losers.  Public education should be about nurturing our most valuable resource – our children.  Our children deserve a Secretary of Education who is an advocate for public education not privatization.” said Executive Director of BATs Marla Kilfoyle.

Now that DeVos is scheduled to steer the national education ship, the BATs are fighting back.

Scores of teachers have vowed to push their federal, state and local lawmakers to promote public education values as the teachers see fit.

On Dec. 1, the BATs are planning to take to social media airwaves, taking to Twitter for an online protest using the hashtag #NotMySOE. 

Others are organizing protests, like the one in St. Petersburg, which has already gathered nearly 30 RSVPs, mostly from local teachers.

Teachers, it seems, feel a lot of fear and anger as a result of DeVos’ nomination.

“She will work to demolish this system which provides a free appropriate public education for our students with disabilities and strives to provide all students with equitable access to education,” the protest group wrote.

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.

 

Comments

Two comments that are very telling... "to promote public education values as the teachers see fit." "which provides a free appropriate public education for our students" Education values - what are they? And we're relying on every teacher everywhere to determine the values as they see fit? And what exactly do you mean by "appropriate public education"?? Here is the crux of the problem for parents everywhere - what if I don't agree with your education values or your appropriate education? Do I have no say in what my kids learn and how they learn it? If a parent is pouring money into the education system through their tax dollars, they should be able to decide where and how those dollars are spent - and if they want their children to attend a non-public school, who are these people to tell them the can't do that?! I recently had a lengthy conversation with a local teacher who is leaving the profession because of 'main-streaming'. She teaches advanced placement classes in Social Studies and the district is including special education students in her classes - some who can barely read. She finds it impossible to give the attention these students need while also teaching and challenging advanced students. It seems to me that with vouchers, the parents of children with special needs can find the most appropriate setting for their kids.

I'm a public school teacher too that this has happened to. The reason for the mainstreaming of those special needs kids is bc money and resources to properly service them has been stripped away from out public schools in order to support school choice and charters. Also many of those students' parents also don't have the time or resources to get them into a school that is out of their regular school zone and it is just easier to send them to their zone school. So the burden to teach these kids right along with the regular kids just falls on the public school teacher. Teachers are now held to a standard of being able to do something called "differentiated instruction", which is just another term for cater to 30 different student abilities all at once and if you can't you're a lousy teacher.

Fall in line, there's a new President elect and he appointed Betsy Devo's. Time for a change and time to accept what has happened.

Just because DeVos was appointed truly does not make her a quality candidate for the job. But whomever you are you certainly think so.

Yes, fall in line everyone, because that is what America was founded on and is all about. Stfu

The NEA Labor Union is the antithesis of 'childrens' education. The old adage: "Those that can't DO, teach; and those that CAN'T teach, teach gym; and those that can do neither, become Union Representatives as a way of staying "attached to the self-serving mammary". The self- named "Badass BATS" should be a "clue" as to exactly WHO they are most interested in 'protecting' ...(and the word "themselves" should JUMP into your consciousness). I observed Randi Weingarten decades ago as the New York City president of the 'teachers' union'... The student achievement levels progressively diminished to untenable levels, and TENURED incompetent teachers continued to "poison" the NYC school system for many years until their retirement. The result?: Generatios of students who couldn't read, or write, a comprehensive statement or do enough basic math to "make change" in a small business... They were essentially unemployable, BUT, the "teachers" were the highest paid, and most protected, in the entire country. It is definitely time for CHANGE folks if we're ever going to "break this chain of mal-educated students 'flowing through' our school systems unabated...!

It's clear you don't respect teachers, and so them protesting something holds no weight to you, but your post does nothing but lambast these teachers. This article is about Trump choosing an unqualified Secretary of Education, do you have an opinion on her lack of qualifications?

YOU SAY "unqualified"... But then, you are "anonymous" and therefore fearfull of necessary change in the educational system... You MUST be part of that system! I trust Trump's "decision",.. NOT your Labor Union's self-preserving wishes. (If "the shoe fits", RETIRE !)

This lady is not qualified and as a retire teacher I believe I have the qualifications to know whether a person would be qualified or not by looking at the person's background. Money does not mean you have the skills or knowledge and that goes for Trump as well. I suggest you stop listening to what is coming out of Trumps mouth and instead pay attention to his actions, as they say "actions speak louder than words" and Trump has already gone back on just about everything he promised during his campaign. If you are allowing yourself to be blinded by his con, then shame on you for your ignorance.

I would love to retire! Unfortunately, I have 10 more years to go. Not only that, I'm trapped in a system that demanded life long learning goals. "Get that Master's degree and you'll be more marketable!" BS! Now I have all these student loans to pay back!! Retire you say? I live paycheck to paycheck!!

Stay away from your broom stick.

WRONG!!!... I both respect and revere Teachers; However, I abhor "pretenders" who see their charges and responsibility as burdensome and repetetively boring (they should only see things through their students' eyes).

its clear that bad teachers are protected by their union!

Strange how the teachers unions don't require democrats to have their children in public schools !

I cannot help but think of all those teachers chiming in, crying over the appointment the next President has made. Small wonder where our children get the thoughts that crying & whining over something they don't like will get them what they want! I agree with Swampfox that the Teacher's mouthpiece's will cause more harm than any good and, unfortunately, the teachers will end up paying the price! Yes, there are good and bad in all walks of life, but teachers MUST teach the curriculum they're assigned and leave the parenting, as well as the whining and crying at home! GO TRUMP!!

My profession as an educator does not disqualify me from have a personal opinion regarding how this country should be ran. I am not "crying &whining" about anything; I am raising legitimate concerns about the experience of the soon-to-be appointed SOE. This woman's decisions will directly impact my job and the education of my children. It is certainly not unreasonable to call out how ridiculous it is that this woman had no formal schooling or training in education, advocates for the complete dismantlement of public schools, AND donated $9 million to Trump's campaign to ensure herself a cabinet position.

I'm not an educator, but even I know 'have' should be having and 'ran' should be run. When I vote for School Board members, I make sure the person is NOT a teacher. Teachers will always put teachers and their jobs first, as you stated above. Don't you think it's about time we focus on the student? The public school system will not be completely dismantled, unless the teachers and school system refuse to improve and change. I received an excellent K-8 public school education, but that was before the unions took over. The union influence was prevalent by the time I got to H.S.

But it should require to understand and use correct grammar.

Sorry, John. The last comment was for Mark above.

And so should the president-elect be required to understand and use correct grammar. You are a paid troll. It is easy to tell, because you write in complete sentences.

The acronym Bat:))) I like it they hang upside down and see the education world the same way. I would like to see President Trump (God I loved typing that) reduce the NEA,IRS, and the EPA's offices to a one room office with a lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. For years the NEA has milked the taxpayers with help from their liberal agenda friends in congress which has helped produce the obtuse children of today as part of exalting their own self existence by dumbing down America. Schools have become indoctrination camps for the left. There are many good teachers on both sides of the aisle. However, the agenda that's unfolded at the top is about to come to an end!

That's right get rid of a quality education for the all classes and you will see what the rich does with the uneducated. Keep them stupid so they become managable serfs for the lords and masters. Ever hear about the French Revolution??? Make sure the rich have their private school on the backs of the middle class. tRumpanzees will learn quickly his ("tRump") concerns fare not for anyone but himself and his rich swamp creatures from the black lagoon. The University he said he graduated with a business degree from, wants nothing to do with him, and by the way he never got a master's from the U of Penn in Business or anything else. His dad paid to get him into the school and paid to keep him there for 2 years and no more, he did not graduate. And I know, my daughter graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania in an accelerated course of scientific study. And by the way I am a retired school teacher that taught in a predominately poor school district around the Pittsburgh area for 35 years. Unless you have the same experiences you have not a clue!

You are absolutely correct! Unfortunately, they have been at work for a very long time. You only need to look at the college students of today requiring safe spaces, Play-Doh, hot chocolate, coloring books, therapy dogs, etc., to deal with day to day reality. What's sad is -- we allowed it to happen by not insisting on change. Granted, we never had leaders like Trump to chose from before. I just hope it's not too late.

Your comment is confusing. Well, not really when I consider the source, but you are aware that the NEA is a union and not a part of the executive branch like the IRS and EPA? The president has no control over them as an organization, what so ever. Now, if you are talking about the DOE, which is the part of the executive branch the SOE oversees, your comment, while still ignorant and grossly dangerous, would make sense. Do your research. Make sure the things you post are true, accurate, and fully thought out. These are skills I learned in freshman (high school) English. Oh, btw, it was a public school.

Excuse me Critical Thinker. (misnomer) My comment is neither ignorant nor dangerous, instead very pragmatic when considering where the current academia community has led our children's education. I also was educated in a public school but nothing like what exists today. We were patriotic, took pride in the flag and stood for the National Anthem. We had respect for the teachers, and they taught us the correct history of our country, not the revisionist version of today's propaganda aka. indoctrination. Common core is another mechanism for the educators to indoctrinate the young skulls full of mush entering schools today which explains the rise in charter schools. I think the voucher system will determine who has preference, the schools or the parents over the welfare of their children. Parents all around the country are up in arms and want their right to raise their children without interference. Critical Thinker, my comments aren't confusing unless you are obtuse.

If you were IN FACT a "Critical Thinker", you would understand exactly, and precisely, what "Trapper's" 'comment' message was... But NO,.. I think you just might be a "so-called teacher" with a personal self-serving agenda.

Sorry "C Breeze", your thinking, grammar, and punctuation skills are showing again.

"Bobby-boy",...these are COMMENTS. not dissertations. Let me guess, you're a "teacher" without common sense, confidence or expertise; OR merely a "nabob of negativism" on all things not initiated by your weak self...

Pages

Comments are now closed.

politics
advertisement
advertisement
Live streaming of WBOB Talk Radio, a Sunshine State News Radio Partner.

advertisement