Total Pageviews

Search This Blog

Monday, January 9, 2017

Elizabeth Warren's letter to Betsy DeVos the most unqualified secretary of education nomination in history

"There is no precedent for an Education Department Secretary nominee with your lack of experience in public education."

http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/2017-01-09_Betsy_DeVos_Letter.pdf

7 comments:

  1. Although I do not agree with President Elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, Senator Warren starts her letter with untrue facts. Senator Warren claims that past nominees for Secretary of Education have had “deep executive experience in public education.” The first Secretary of Education in 1979, under President Jimmy Carter, was Shirley Hufstedler. Secretary Hufstedler was a lawyer and judge in California with no experience in public education. Other Education Secretaries with no public education experience include: William Bennett, a lawyer appointed under Ronald Reagan in 1989. Lamar Alexander, a lawyer and politician appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1991. Richard Riley, a lawyer and politician appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993.
    Let’s take a look at a recent Secretary of Education with vast public education experience, Arne Duncan. Secretary Duncan was appointed by President Obama in 2009. Prior to becoming Secretary of Education, Mr. Duncan spent 8 years as Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. Teachers unions across the nation disliked Secretary Duncan’s emphasis on the use of data from student tests to evaluate teachers and schools. Secretary Duncan had a fixation on charter schools and high-stakes testing which helped lead us to where we are now. Has Secretary Duncan’s “deep executive experience in public education” help improve public education?
    I do agree with the issues that Senator Warren has raised in her letter and the questions that the Senator presented to the nominee, Betsy DeVos. I hope that the nominee answers those questions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seriously? After reading that letter are you really going to fixate on that fact? I suggest a close read of her letter with a focus on the essential question; is this a person we want in charge of our public schools? The facts stated are extremely disturbing to educators, but one thing for sure it is good to read that someone is thinking about children and what is best for public education. The leader of our country certainly is not and has no clue what public education is, given his experiences. This is the scariest time I can remember as a teacher after 35 years.

      Delete
    2. I am sorry, but when a Senator of the United States starts her letter with a lie, it needs to be pointed out.

      Delete
    3. Yes 'Afraid to say' she started out with a lie AND what has the Federal DOE actually accomplished? Nothing. Shut it down, return the power to the states.

      Delete
  2. Here is a PBS NewsHour segment about the most experienced person in public education that became Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRWckacdX5Q

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I and many others thought Arne Duncan was terrible and had no business taking that position. That being said, we also shouldn't compound that error.

      Delete
  3. This is a little off topic but does anyone know how school grades will be calculated for K-2 schools? Last year the district said they would not receive grades because the students only do iReady testing and not FSA. Now I understand it's based on the sister school(3-5) to the K-2 feeder school. Does anybody know which one it is or how I can find out? Just curious.

    ReplyDelete