“The status quo in ed is not acceptable.”
10/1/20: How the School Choice Debate is Failing Our Public Schools. 10/21/19: DeVos held in contempt of court in student-loan forgiveness dispute. 6/25/19: Defrauded student loan borrowers sue Betsy DeVos. 4/14/20: Whitmer takes shot at DeVos family involvement in Lansing protest. Following Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's "stay home" order to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus, Detroit streets were eerily empty.
Detroit Free Press Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she doesn't have a problem with a planned protest Wednesday that is intended to create a traffic jam around the state Capitol to show how angry Michiganders are about a stay-at-home order intended to stop the spread of coronavirus. But she drew the line at one of the hosts of the protest — the Michigan Freedom Fund, a Lansing-based organization that advocates for conservative policies, has strong ties to the west Michigan DeVos family and has been critical of Whitmer, especially her stay at home order, which lasts until May 1. "This group is funded in large part by the DeVos family. 8/23/18: DeVos fine with using Title IV funding to arm teachers. DeVos Disenfranchisment of Student Aid Enforcement Unit. Map: Tracking Betsy DeVos' School Visits. 7/25/17: Betsy DeVos, Underperformer. Betsy DeVos used to have more friends.
Way back in 2016, a coalition of reputable, fair-minded education reformers — some of them Democrats — got together to vouch for her. Sure, she was inexperienced in the policy realm. Also, an outsider to Washington. Also, naïve to the demands of living under the internet’s ever-watchful eye. Senate Democrats’ All Night Vigil Against DeVos. This is going down to the wire.
Senate Democrats, channeling public opposition to Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education while venting their own outrage over her lack of qualifications for the job, are occupying the Senate floor for 24 hours ahead of the chamber’s vote on her confirmation at noon. Every Democrat in the Senate plans to vote against Trump’s nominee, joined by two Republicans. Vice President Mike Pence may cast the tie-breaking and deciding vote in a historical first for a cabinet confirmation. “Democrats — who planned to stay up through the night debating DeVos’ nomination — made it clear that they weren’t ready to give up the fight,” Education Week reports.
Those who oppose DeVos are urging voters to call their senators this morning and tell them to vote no on DeVos; then make sure to contact colleagues, friends, and family to tell them to call too. Senate committee approves DeVos nomination. How Sen. Lamar Alexander slammed DeVos confirmation hearing through his committee. Republican Sen.
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee slammed the confirmation hearing of Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump's education nominee, through the Senate education committee, which he chairs - over the objections of Democrats who practically begged for more time to question her. Democratic members of the committee repeatedly asked for more time to ask DeVos questions during the hearing on Thursday evening. Over and over, he said he was sticking to the "rules" set for President Barack Obama's two education secretaries, Arne Duncan and John King Jr. and some past education nominees: Every member would get five minutes to ask questions, but only the chairman and the committee's top Democrat, Sen.
Patty Murray of Washington, could get an extra five minutes. "I'm trying to be fair," he said. Public (School) Enemy No. 1: Billionaire Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Pick for Education Secretary. This is a rush transcript.
Copy may not be in its final form. NERMEEN SHAIKH: Donald Trump has tapped conservative billionaire Betsy DeVos to serve as education secretary. Untitled. Betsy DeVos and the segregation of school choice. Editor’s note: Donald Trump’s selection of school-choice advocate Betsy DeVos for U.S. education secretary has focused attention on Michigan’s generous school choice policy.
Bridge Magazine recently revealed one troubling side-effect of this policy: segregation. This article was originally published Sept. 20, 2016. HOLLAND – For more than a decade, Holland Public Schools has watched its enrollment fall, prompting the closure – and demolition – of multiple schools. U.S. education chief knocks ‘uneven’ Michigan charter schools but urges caution in school closings. The Obama administration’s top education official urged Michigan school leaders to think through the consequences of closing potentially dozens of struggling schools in Detroit and across the state.
“The key question is: What are they being replaced with?” Asked U.S. Secretary of Education John King in a Wednesday interview with Chalkbeat. “What are the opportunities that will be available to students instead?” What you should know about DeVos, and what her choice might tell us about his plans. Philanthropist Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary, did not succeed in getting a school voucher program off the ground in her home state of Michigan.
But her advocacy helped influence the program in neighboring Indiana, which is expansive, entrenched — and could be a model if Trump and DeVos move forward with trying to push a national voucher program. Here are six important things to know about vouchers in Indiana: 1. Indiana’s program is the biggest in the country — costing local districts students and funding. Betsy DeVos not ready to back Donald Trump. Lansing — Betsy DeVos, a former Michigan Republican Party chair and GOP mega donor, isn’t ready to get behind Donald Trump as she prepares to head to Cleveland next week for the party’s formal nomination of the billionaire businessman for president.
DeVos is attending the Republican National Convention as an at-large delegate for Ohio Gov. John Kasich while her wealthy and influential West Michigan family backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during the primaries. “Let’s just say that I will be a more than interested bystander at the convention,” DeVos said Wednesday in an interview with The Detroit News. DeVos family showers GOP with contributions after DPS vote. Editor's note: President-elect Donald Trump tapped charter-school advocate Betsy DeVos to join his cabinet as secretary of education.
Below is an opinion column published in September about the DeVos family's donations to members of the Michigan Legislature on the heels of approving bills involving Detroit Public Schools. Here is Betsy Devos' response to this column. Bought and paid for. Betsy DeVos: Ohio’s Top Campaign Money Launderer, Trump’s Pick for Education Sec’y. Making Sense of DeVos Family Philanthropy. The more we write about the new philanthropy of recent years, the more we're struck by the role of wealthy family dynasties. Sometimes, as with the sprawling Walton clan, family members channel all their grantmaking through a single powerful foundation. Other times, as with the Buffett, Koch, or Simons families, multiple foundations emerge that may or may not closely coordinate their activities. One of the top families in philanthropy to watch these days is the conservative DeVos family.
Its giving is extensive, with several moving parts that are worth understanding. Episode 517 with Lisa Grave. Episode 517 of the Matthew Filipowicz Show is now available to stream and download. Coming up on today’s show we have Lisa Graves from the Center for Media and Democracy back on the show to discuss Donald Trump’s frightening choice to head the Department of Education, Betsy DeVos, as well as a disturbing Trump climate change memo. Plus, we’ll discuss David Waldman’s plan to get Obama’s Supreme Court nominee appointed. Betsy DeVos says GOP should dump Agema; implies financial 'consequences' for intolerance. GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Well-known West Michigan business and political figure and major Republican Party donor Betsy DeVos has apparently had enough with Dave Agema. DeVos, former state GOP chair, told Detroit News columnist Nolan Finley that Agema should resign his position as national Republican Party Committeeman after his latest round of inflammatory remarks about gays and Muslims.
Her rebuke of Republican Party leadership for failure to condemn “intolerance and insensitivity” included the veiled threat of financial reprisals if Agema is not removed from his post somehow. “The expectation of leaders in a party is to stand up in situations like this,” she told the News. “Failing to do so will have consequences.”
How and why Amway's DeVos family gives away billions. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Years ago, a Grand Rapids business owner was greeted by Rich DeVos with an expensive compliment. "You look like a million dollars," the Amway co-founder, Orlando Magic owner and Grand Rapids billionaire told Leslie Tassell, founder of autoparts maker Lescoa. That was Tassell's cue to donate $1 million to a cause DeVos was supporting. Among West Michigan's wealthy, social clout doesn't come from the clothes you wear or car you drive. Influence comes from how much you give. Michigan Falling Behind Nation in Early Reading. Secretary of Education Nominee Betsy DeVos: What You Need to Know.
On November 23, 2016, President-Elect Donald Trump announced that Betsy DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist and education advocate from Michigan, will be his nominee for Secretary of Education. The Department of Education's mission “is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.”[1] Policies that improve all students’ access to quality educational opportunities have enjoyed bipartisan support in previous administrations. To lead the charge in these efforts, any Secretary of Education nominee must have deep education policy expertise and a commitment to the principles of education equity, including eliminating exclusionary school discipline and testing practices.
Sea of Charter Schools in Detroit Leaves Students Adrift. How Workable is Trumps $20 Billion School Choice Proposal? Interview with Betsy DeVos, the Reformer. All Children Matter. DeVos vows to ‘end’ Common Core. The elephant in the room is DeVos. Senators press Betsy DeVos to pay $5.3 million fine. What Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education.