Just in case you thought that no one on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee understood that Betsy DeVos is a threat to the future of public education, read Senator Tim Kaine’s letter.
January 26, 2017
Dear Mr. XXXXXXXX:
Thank you for contacting me about the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. I appreciate hearing from you.
Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution requires the advice and consent of the Senate on certain appointments made by the President, including cabinet secretaries. The committee of jurisdiction for each nomination conducts hearings with respect to each candidate before they are considered by the full Senate. Members of the Senate have a responsibility to ensure that nominees possess the qualifications, integrity, and independence that is necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the job on behalf of the American people. I take my responsibility to scrutinize every nominee very seriously.
The Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the DeVos nomination on January 17th, 2017. As a member of the HELP Committee, I asked Mrs. DeVos questions regarding her education, experience, and policy positions. While I appreciate Mrs. DeVos’s willingness to serve, I have decided to oppose her nomination. Mrs. DeVos failed to show that she was a strong advocate for public schools, accountability, and civil rights. Commitment to these principles is essential to serving as Secretary of Education and carrying out the duties of this position in a manner that will benefit all of our nation’s students.
Over 90 percent of our nation’s children attend public schools. But Mrs. DeVos has said that public schools are a ‘dead end’ and that ‘government really sucks’ when it comes to education. This statement betrays the commitment of thousands of public school teachers who work hard every day in our public schools, many in tough working conditions, to ensure our children are educated. I could support a nominee who is for expanded options and improvement for all schools, public and private, but I cannot support a nominee who has a reflexive and ideological bias against public schools.
I am also concerned that Mrs. DeVos does not recognize that accountability for all schools is essential to closing achievement gaps in our country. Our efforts to enhance the national educational system must make student performance a priority, and any school receiving government funding should be held to the highest standards for its students. During her confirmation hearing, I asked Mrs. DeVos whether all schools that receive taxpayer funding should be held equally accountable for outcomes, particularly because President Trump has proposed allocating $20 billion to private schools in a nationwide voucher program. Mrs. DeVos repeatedly refused to say there should be equal accountability between public, public charter, and private schools receiving tax dollars.
Mrs. DeVos also left me in doubt about whether she understands or would uphold critical civil rights laws, including the rights of thousands of students with special needs. She demonstrated little understanding of – or support for – the primary fundamental law regarding education of kids with disabilities, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which if confirmed as Secretary she would be in charge of enforcing. Our Secretary of Education must be committed to upholding the principle of the federal IDEA to provide ‘a free and appropriate public education’ for all. When I asked whether schools receiving taxpayer dollars should all be required to follow federal law, guaranteeing these students an education appropriately tailored to their abilities, she declared that was a decision for the states.
An appropriate candidate for Secretary of Education will champion our public schools, support equal accountability for all schools receiving taxpayer funding, and support the national consensus that kids with disabilities should have fair learning opportunities. I am disappointed that President Trump failed to nominate such a champion, and I will be opposing the nomination of Betsy DeVos.
Please be assured that I will continue to make the education of our nation’s students a top priority. Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Tim Kaine
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I’d like to warn public school parents against adopting the big ed reform marketing push for “virtual classes”.
How this plays out in ordinary public schools is the virtual classes become cheap replacements for teachers.
I don’t know what the theorists intended, but that’s the reality in ordinary public schools.
Do your own thinking. Don’t let Facebook or anyone else sell you this without traveling to public schools and seeing the reality, NOT the hype.
Budgets work like this- once you cut a teacher you won’t get the funding back. If the “virtual” class is cheap garbage and you regret your decision you’re stuck with it
Remember: very few policymakers in DC use public schools. They don’t know anything about your schools. You do. Be confident. Push back. Don’t accept a cut-rate substitute for human beings. You will regret it and all of these theorists will be on to the next fad and you’ll be stuck with the crap they sold you. Let the buyer beware. Public schools have huge buying leverage. Use it.
“DeVos expressed deep interest in digital learning and how it could expand opportunities for kids.” -John Bailey, who, formerly, worked for the Gates Foundation and Jeb Bush’s foundation.
The families of American soldiers were on food stamps, while DeVos’ brother took taxpayer money through Blackwater. The plan for public schools is similar. Gates’ education “innovation” equals banal cost-cutting, wrapped in opportunities for profit taking from data mining.
“Digital Learning”
Business gets the 1$
And teachers get the zeros
1$ by tons and tons
And zeros for the heroes
Poet,
Another home run.
That is one the reasons that “standardization of outcomes” mentioned in the BATS post is problematic, not just for classified students, but all students. I think standardization of outcomes is a precursor to “personalized learning, ” which is neither personal or successful for all.
Thank you, Chiara!
Ed Markey also sent out letters and statements. I called and thanked him.. Then I sent an email to the aide in Ed Markey’s office who specializes in the education issues…
Andrew Zack; I think the aides put some thoughtful time into writing the letters (rather than just the usual “thank you for your message”)
“Accountability …Student performance” (code for test and VAM)
And the band played on.
Yeah, I stopped reading after these references to a circus and accountancy. The guy asked questions from DeVos extremely well, though.
No doubt, federal dollars cannot be distributed into black holes, but our politicians need to start framing education matters appropriately, so that we recognize, the subject is kids and their well being.
“Zero accountofability”
Special needs includes the right
To test on Newton’s laws
Cuz everyone should test in spite —
And simply just because
VAMed if you do and VAMed if you don’t.
These are references to Devos’s failure to answer Kaine’s questions about whether she supported holding charter schools to the same accountability standards as public schools.
Kaine referred not just to charter schools but all schools receiving federal funds, including religious schools.
Correct.
Supporters of religious education want government money with no accountability or regulation. Kaine hit a sensitive spot with DeVos.
Mate is right. The whole thing needs to be reframed because Democrats are still essentially using the “accountability” frame created by Republicans, with all the baggage that that entails.
I agree, Mate and Joel. Every federal and state official is locked into the dead, failed, stale frame of testing and accountability. We should ship them all to Finland or give them a copy of Pasi Sahlberg’s FINNISH LESSONS.
“We should ship them all to Finland or give them a copy of Pasi Sahlberg’s FINNISH LESSONS.”
I think if they just sat in a sauna 10 min a day would help them relax and ask “Accountability? Isn’t that a way too long word to be useful for happy people?”
“Framing Schools”
Supporting frame
Is what you need
To renovate a school
But frame and blame
And make them bleed
To date has been the rule
So have no shame
To plant the seed
A kid is not a circus mule
She isn’t here to entertain
But give her bead
And her mind will spool
(Sry) 🙂
BINGO
Bingo!
Just think, Kaine could have been our VP instead of Pence. If only.
Bygones be bygones, eh!
A lot of “accountability” talk from Kaine, reflecting the Democrats commitment I Ed reform for sure.
Again, as Kaine’s letter made clear, the Democrats are really opposed to her on grounds of “competence” and her too-strong rhetoric. Dems like their Ed reformers Ivy educated and with a softer, social justice rhetoric.
I think A loony incompetent is better than a loony, slick-talking, politically smooth COMPETENT reformer/privatizers for Sec of Ed.
Meanwhile there may be bigger stakes in who Trump is considering for the Supreme Court and what can be determined about their rulings on education cases.
The only summary with clues that I have found indicates three potential nominees have had cases bearing on K-12 education, especially discipline, and at least one thinks a school display with the ten commandments can be instructive.
Here is a first look http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2017/01/a_look_at_president_trumps_sup.html?_ga=1.133332618.589128606.1425909031
I appreciate your truthful comment especially the part of “a loony, slick-talking, politically smooth COMPETENT reformer/privatizers for Sec of Ed” which quickly brought to mind Arne Duncan. He gave us the Race To The Bottom that strangled so many public schools because if you want the money you better agree to A-Z deforms, and let’s not forget how happy he was that “Katrina happened in New Orleans” and the glee in his and Obama’s eyes when the school in Central Falls, RI fired everyone. Yeap, let’s get them Ivy League smooth talkers to be secretary of education and give us all the deform policies that will kill the public school system. DeVos is horrible but I will never forgive Obama for appointing the Chicago school closer, Arne Duncan, as secretary of education.
Agree. Relative to effect, PR savvy, ivy- league educated, avaricious leeches are similar to ideologues who are, avaricious leeches.
“Ivy (in) League”
The Ivy League
Is oft in league
With those who rule the roost
So no surprise
That Ivy ties
Will often get a boost
Presumably the “accountability” talk refers to equal accountability for charters and public schools, one of the main themes of Kaine’s questions at the Devos hearing.
I’ll have to disagree on whether incompetence is a good basis for rejecting a cabinet appointee
FLERP,
Would you say that ignorance, incompetence, and hostility to the agency’s mission are good reasons to reject a cabinet nominee? For example, a Labor Secretary who was hostile to workers’ rights? An EPA administrator who opposed protecting the environment? A Secretary of Education contemptuous of public schools and ignorant of federal law?
All good reasons.
But having a Sec of Ed, from Trump or any current Dem, that is NOT hostile to public education and a reform-y privatizer is simply not on the table. It’s not a possibility. It’s a counterfactual. So, saying no to DeVos from a position of wanting a non-reformer is simply wishful thinking not attached to reality.
I conclude that Kaine is a political animal, in Walton-funded CAP’s stable, like Sen. Sherrod Brown. Not surprisingly, Kaine was part of HRC’s campaign, which was run by CAP and Podesto.
The Senator from Virginia is a political animal?!
Linda,
I am not aware that Kaine has received Walton money. Do you have a source?
CAP receives Walton money. I presume, Kaine’s government and campaign offices are similar to Brown’s, in an unwillingness to provide information about sources of funding.
Every Senator has to reveal sources of funding.
Tim Kaine’s children attended desegregated public schools in Virginia.
In a much prior, posted comment, I highlighted the CAP grant entry (if I recall correctly- $45,000) that appeared on the Fordham 2013 tax return. Both organizations list Walton’s as funders.
When Brown’s senate office staff refused to say if he receives funding from charter schools, I replied that I was unable to find the info. at Open Secrets and, I asked the staffer to direct me to a site which would have the info. His reply was to contact the campaign office, which has not responded to my request.
The Center for American Progress gave a $45,000 grant to the Fordham Institute, and therefore Tim Kaine gets money from CAP? From the Walton Foundation? How are you connecting those dots?
From CAP Facebook page, “Cory Booker joined us for the 2016 Progressive Party.” Booker was the keynote speaker.
“In …CAP’s stable”. The implication is not that Booker nor Kaine receive checks, signed by the Walton’s. It is, however, reasonable to deduce that a campaign run by CAP (and Podesto) would be amenable to, if not pleased, with the selected, vice-presidential candidate, on a ticket, that has only two people and, that a politician, invited, as a keynote speaker, is embraced by the group.
From what I have read, CAP indicates no plan to abandon its position, NOT TO oppose privatization of America’s most important common good, despite a very long list of election losses. The intransigence suggests to me an agenda, consistent with its funders’ stated goal.
Kaine (in this posted letter), which is the topic of this discussion, states, “An appropriate candidate …will support … all schools receiving taxpayer funding…” That statement, coupled with “any school receiving government funding…” , suggests no evidence that Kaine, has, on his current radar, a plan to oppose privatization. His focus appears to be accountability, which is consistent with the communication of Walton-funded organizations, like 74.
After losing 900 legislative seats, more than 10 governorships, the majority in the House and Senate, and the presidency, a Party (that has in leadership, CAP), that refuses to change, I conclude, must have a reason for not changing. Flerp, we will have to agree to disagree, if you attribute the lack of change, despite intense protest, solely, to Party inertia, factoring in opposition to privatization, would stake out a policy position differentiated from the opposing party.
If dot connection, requires a witness’ recording, of Kaine disavowing CAP, no, it is not provided, which is why I qualified the statement, with “I conclude”.
Kaine is our best hope, in that he actually sent his own children to public schools. Does not good to keep trying to knock him down. We need allies.
Kaine may indeed not have a plan to oppose privatization. But there are much better sources for that assertion than his use of the word “accountability” in a statement that clearly echoes his questions to Devos about holding public and private recipients of federal education funding to the same standards. And the next time someone says, “I am not aware that Kaine has received Walton money. Do you have a source?” the short answer is “no.”
Flerp, I could follow your prescription and say “no”, as a singular response, when someone attributes to me, something that wasn’t said by me. But, that’s a lawyer’s trick to obfuscate the truth. For clarity and truth, it is better for me to correct the flawed attribution, which is what I attempted to do. What follows is another tack.
The inference from being a horse in a branded stable is the horse has similarities to other horses in the stable-e.g. race horses, rather than plow horses. However, it is understood that the horses run different races, have different owners, follow different practice schedules, take different medications, receive different food, etc. …
Diane,
After more than 10 years of attempts to inform politicians, who are assumed to lack knowledge, while also being forced to recognize that some politicians act wrongly, when they “know better” (Lamar Alexander), it doesn’t make sense to examine premises?
Note to self- It’s not possible, nor productive, to explore CAP’s role as a possible roadblock to progress, in preventing the privatization of public education (America’s most important common good.) CAP receiving Walton money, functioning as the dominant player in the Democratic Party, and the primary organization cited in media, for the view from the left, is irrelevant in a situation where, in contrast, almost 80% of the population support public schools. The fact that only 1 U.S. Democratic senator voted against a privatizing U.S. Secretary of Education can be explained away by one of the much-used, existing excuses. Podesto, who worked with CAP on Hillary’s campaign, is in a video with Chester Finn and Jeb Bush, calling for donors to fund politicians who support privatization. But, that has no significance, to the past, present or future. Understood.
Prediction, Democrats will lose more elections.
Linda,
I don’t admire CAP or Podesta.
I admire Tim Kaine.
When, just one, Democratic U.S. Senator, publicly expresses outrage at the deception, in referring to education contractors (charter schools), as “public entities”, and, demands that the U.S. Dept. of Ed. ceases and desists from the use, it will be a miracle of the proportion of the Red Sea, parting.
Kaine and his wife understand the value of strong public education. As a result, they have few charters in Virginia, and they are regulated. Kaine see through the rhetoric of “reform” and understands that the goal is mass privatization.
From the letter:
“Our efforts to enhance the national educational system must make student performance a priority. . . ”
National educational system??? Has Jebster’s inane spirit invaded Kaine’s mind???
“must make student performance a priority”. Has the Jebster’s inane spirit invaded Kaine’s mind???
If Kaine is supposedly a “friend of public education” I’d hate to see the enemies.
When it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck . . .
“Oh, but he is voting against DeVos!!” BFD! Any halfway normal 3rd grader would be able to see that she is so unqualified for the position that only fools, non-thinkers, and partisan pricks would vote for her.
Duane,
That is the sound of the federal and state and Beltway echo chamber.
Sounds quite tinny and out of tune with reality to these tinnitus and nerve damaged ears.
Here are the questions i’d ask third graders:
How can you tell a grizzly bear from a black bear?
Are you worried about a grizzly bear getting into your school?
Other than that substitute who doesn’t shave, how many grizzly bears have you seen in or around your school in the past few years?
Incidentally,
Telling a grizzly from a black bear is not always a simple task and i’d bet that even most adults would not be able to do it without first being educated.
And telling the difference can be critically important because the danger in a black bear encounter is significantly less.
I have encountered many black bears (some up close) and never once had a problem. One time, I literally ran into — came within a few feet of –one on a sharp bend of a mountain trail. s/he simply turned off the trail into the woods and that was that.
I have spent a significant amount of time in grizzly country but encountered a grizzly only once in the Backcountry (in Glacier National Park) but, luckily at a distance of about a quarter mile or so. I have also backpacked in parts of Yellowstone where there were grizzlies, but never came across one — not that I wZs aware of, at least.
“Heavens to Betsy”
Heavens to Betsy
Theory’s all wet, see?
Threat of a grizzly
Invading a school
On the whole failin’
‘Cept up near Palin
Grizzly high tailin’
As general rule
Holland Michigan Marched On Betsy DeVos!
Holland, Michigan was fed up enough about the Betsy DeVos nomination for Secretary of Education that One Woman decided to organize a protest. She put together a private Facebook page for a march through downtown. She never figured that the march would galvanize so many locals who have seen first hand the education policy that she is putting forth and how it would actually make the education system crumble
Because this was a quickly organized protest, of course there was no way to get a permit and all the people needed to stay on the sidewalk. From 11:00 to 1:00, over 1500 protesters from the area came to express their displeasure. Except for the bitter cold, a good time was had by all. Many colleagues, friends, and classmates who all came out happy and focused to sabotage this nomination.
There was a little media by the local Fox affiliate and the Holland Sentinel.
More media may publish later as there was the local PBS affiliate and at least one other TV station with cameras. We were disappointed at the lack of response since there was time to deploy reporters from the other stations.
Remember this is Focus on the Family and Conservative Christian territory here.
http://www.dailykos.com
“Remember this is Focus on the Family and Conservative Christian territory here.”
My condolences!
Sounds like where I live. Lot’s of xtian home schoolers and way too many churches.
“From 11:00 to 1:00, over 1500 protesters from the area came to express their displeasure.”
This is music to our ears—from the nest of the dragon chick in Holland.
Dear Senator Kaine,
Thank you for standing up for public education, public school students, and public school teachers and for having faith in a public school system that works to educate all of our children.