I've always felt at my best when I'm part of a community that is charged by engaging and knowledgeable leaders. These are people who listen to ideas, use research to create responsive solutions, and find value in thoughtful discourse. I have found leadership in students, parents, fellow teachers, administrators, and public figures.
During her senate confirmation hearing, it became clear that Betsy DeVos is not fit to be a leader.
In her answers, DeVos was unwilling to commit to supporting the most fundamental ideas of making sure schools are safe and that students have equal access to top tier educational opportunities. Apart from the fact that she doesn't seem to understand basic classroom needs, her lack of awareness of the scope of the job sent chills down my spine.
Has she really not decided if as Secretary of Education she will enforce key federal laws like IDEA? A law that has and continues to make groundbreaking progress for students with exceptionalities. A law that demands our smartest and most creative community members to guide its practical and beneficial implementation. A law, without which, many of our nation’s children would still find themselves in isolated classrooms. Can a woman who doesn't seem to understand the difference between measuring growth and proficiency lead us in the key debates that will define the way the education system in this nation operates for years to come?
As a charter school teacher, it would be easy to get excited about DeVos’s support of expanding charter school programs. But I don’t just want more charter schools. I want charter schools that are led by people striving to find solutions to greater problems. I want the communities of great minds that can come together inside the walls of a charter school to develop unique solutions to difficult problems. I don’t want an influx of poorly regulated, for-profit schools that put turning a profit over the well-being of students.
There are amazingly intelligent and passionate people coming together to move the field of education forward at all levels. Betsy DeVos should not be part of that conversation. Not only is she colossally out of touch with the needs of the public education system, she has done nothing to show that she has the ability to lead the people who do understand.
