The Salt Lake City Tribune published an impassioned opinion piece by educators in opposition to billionaire Betsy DeVos.
Here is a part of the article:
Now is the time to contact your members of Congress to proclaim — unequivocally — that the hope for the future of our children is directly connected to support for public education. President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos as the next secretary of education delivers a severe blow to the future of public education. While her statements indicate a desire to provide all parents the opportunity to choose the best schools for their children, a deeper look into her promotion of unregulated, for-profit charters and vouchers indicates a very different agenda.
From the Reagan administration through the Obama administration, a market-based agenda has spread an often-inaccurate narrative — leading Americans to believe that our public schools, teachers and students are failing miserably. This story was used to steamroll the country with privatization mandates while shifting billions of tax dollars to those who manufactured the narrative.
This is a fine article that echoes both research and common sense.
Stop Billionaire Betsy before she does to the nation what she has done to Detroit.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Not only to Detroit, but to other public school systems! DICK and wife (betsy) have poisoned my State in the hopes of finding a new money making market…Public Education is that market! They are ugly, hateful people!
Important for others to hear what happened in Detroit so we can stop it from spreading. I’m so sorry.
If you check a map showing who won where in Utah, you will discover that Hillary Clinton won the area around and near Salt Lake City.
http://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/utah/
And Clinton has what to do with De Vos..?
Which Clinton? I have no idea what you mean. Are you alleging there’s a link between Hillary/Bill Clinton and Betsy DeVos?
No where in my brief comment is there any mention of Betsy DeVos. Why are you attempt int to change the subject?
“If you check a map showing who won where in Utah, you will discover that Hillary Clinton won the area around and near Salt Lake City.”
Your words, LLoyd. I didn’t understand the relevance of your statement either. Are you getting your posts confused?
The thing about the Utah election results map had nothing to do with DeVos. I have no idea where DeVos came into it.
That’s not surprising. That area of Utah is pretty Democratic. So, naturally, the VERY Republican legislature gerrymandered Utah so that no Democrat can win a seat in Congress, and very few in the state legislature.
I contacted my Senators. I wish I thought they were interested in public schools but I honestly don’t think they are. Existing public schools seem to be a very low priority in DC, almost to the point where lawmakers seem to have a kind of contempt or disdain regarding our schools. It might be interesting to see how many Senators had children or grandchildren attend public schools in their respective states. It’s not a litmus test, but it might explain why so many of them seem so out of touch. I listened to (part of) the new NCLB law debate and I really wasn’t impressed. They’re often just repeating ed reform slogans that everyone has heard a million times.
Here’s a piece defending DeVos :
In sum, “it’s eminently possible to be both pro-public schools AND pro-choice.”
That may indeed be “possible” but I have yet to see it. Instead, one of two things happen- we get choice zealots who cheerlead every charter or private school and bash public schools, or we get mushy, potted plant “agnostics” who are cowed by the choice zealots and afraid to advocate for public schools.
The end result of this is we have NO advocates in government for existing public schools. This is problem because 90% of kids attend public schools.
https://pjmedia.com/election/2017/01/02/7-desperate-liberal-lies-about-trumps-education-pick-betsy-devos/
Chiara:
Translation: it is possible to be both for public schools and against them.
Virtually EVERYTHING that Trump is doing now is antithetical to the interest of our children, posterity and our planet – the very future of our country.
We can focus on DeVos and should, but PLEASE do not forget the other things which a Trump presidency will do if he is not overwhelmingly fought by everyone who cares about democracy, the future of our planet, our children, and our country. As educators it is our duty to fight, fight, fight.
I think the reverse is true, Gordon. A sound future lies with Trump not with you or the Democrats. The U.S.A. remember is a federal democratic republic. Democracy alone is not enough to guarantee freedom.
Harlan,
Trump is a Putin puppet. He won’t guarantee our freedoms. He will attack the First Amendment.
Say it again, Diane: “TRUMP is a PUTIN PUPPET.” Scary.
Market-based is another term for “CORPORATE-BASED and PROFITS for the FEW” at the expense of the rest of us.