The DeVos family foundations have long supported (even helped to found) anti-gay groups. Betsy DeVos’s mother was one of the major contributors to Prop 8 in California, which declared gay marriage illegal. Her family members are on the boards of Focus on the Family and Family Research Council. At her confirmation hearings, DeVos was asked about her connections to these anti-LGBT organizations, and of course she feigned innocence. When asked about her being listed as a member of the board of her mother’s foundation, which is rabidly anti-gay, she claimed she was not on the board. When asked why her name was listed as an officer of that board, she said it was a clerical error. The same clerical error occurred over fourteen years, even though the IRS returns were audited.
The National Parent Teacher Association withdrew from the conference.
A personal note: my younger son is gay. He and his husband are spectacular fathers. They have two beautiful sons. They would surely be unwelcome at this conference sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.
Politico reported:
‘FATHERS AND FAMILY’ EVENT AT ED INCLUDES ANTI-GAY GROUPS: The Education Department is hosting a daylong conference today about engaging fathers in their children’s education and welfare that will include two conservative Christian groups that oppose LGBT rights, according to an agenda obtained by POLITICO. The Trump administration’s “Engaging Fathers and Families” conference will convene a range of education, community and faith-based organizations to discuss family engagement. Representatives from the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family are among the speakers listed for the event, which is being held ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday.
– During her confirmation hearing, DeVos sought to distance herself from Focus on the Family , a conservative Christian group that has pushed so-called “conversion therapy” for gay and lesbian individuals. The group also promotes creationism, school prayer and traditional gender roles. DeVos and her husband have given hundreds of thousands to the group, though they haven’t donated in more than a decade. DeVos said at the time that she’s never believed in “conversion therapy” and that her personal views shouldn’t be confused with those of her family members. DeVos claimed it was a “clerical error” that she was listed as an officer on her parents’ foundation, which has continued to donate to the group in recent years.
– The conference includes several more mainstream groups, including: The National Parent Teacher Association, the Baltimore-based Center for Urban Families, the National Child Research Center, as well as leaders from Washington D.C. and Prince George’s County public schools. “I’m looking forward to speaking about the importance of engaging fathers and father figures in the educational process,” Eric Snow, the executive director of WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students), said in an email. Several top Trump administration officials at the Education Department are slated to speak, including Acting Undersecretary James Manning and Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Jason Botel.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
There is a group “Fight for Equality”, that is supporting a petition calling for the resignation of the SecEd. See
http://go.fightforequality.org/Demand-DeVos-Resignation
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Another thumb in the eye to anyone who thinks all persons have intrinsic worth.
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DeVos and Pence are ‘Christian’ fundamentalists who ignore the compassionate teachings of Jesus to push their patriarchal, rigid, intolerant form of religious extremism. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is a worthwhile organization opposing the attempts of the Trump administration to eliminate the wall separating church and state, especially by repealing the so-called “Johnson Amendment” which prohibits religious leaders from publicly endorsing political candidates to their congregations.
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Bravo to the National PTA.
At her Senate hearing testimony, Devos was asked if there was any type of discrimination taking place at a government-funded school — voucher-funded private schools, or taxpayer funded charter schools — that would prompt the DOE and her to intervene, and she said, “No.”
You want to have a no-gays allowed school? Fine, according to Devos. You want to have a no-kids-with-gay-parents school. Why, that’s fine, too! You want to have an all-white, no-blacks-allowed school? Fine by me.
If you combine that Senate hearing testimony with this Fathers’ Day event, and you have Devos sending out a message, loud and clear, to all the homophobic, extreme right wing religious types who are or will be operating government funded schools — voucher-funded private schools, or taxpayer funded charter schools — that you can go ahead and (mis) treat LGBT students and/or parents any way you like, and Devos will have your back on that.
She’s giving them the Green Light.
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“Bravo to the National PTA.”
Well, even a blind squirrel occasionally finds an acorn. This one right thing, however, in no way makes up for their continued support of education “reform” in general which has caused so much harm to so many students.
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Oh, and here’s the Buzzfeed article detailing how the National PTA withdrew from the DOE’s Father’s Day event when they became aware of the anti-gay groups — funded by the Devos family — who were on the agenda to participate:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mollyhensleyclancy/the-education-department-quietly-invited-anti-lgbt-groups?utm_term=.qlkqB6qLq8#.cbmpExpgp1
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Here’s another hypocrite from Texas, Greg Abbott who believes discriminating against gay children is fine by him. This is more “religious freedom garbage” which is really a rubber stamp for discrimination. https://thinkprogress.org/texas-governor-signs-religious-freedom-lgbtq-youth-discrimination-bill-749cf6b94ec0
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DeVoodoo does the unthinkable again. She’s TOXIC.
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It’s hard to believe, given how even most of the pro-charter folks recognize all that is wrong with Betsy DeVos, that Eli Broad’s Foundation chose this year to recognize the one charter leader who has completely embraced Betsy DeVos and worked so hard to help her PR effort for Senate approval and worked so hard to normalize her. Remember, Broad just gave $250,000 to reward the charter leader who said “I believe Betsy DeVos has the talent, commitment, and leadership capacity to revitalize our public schools and deliver the promise of opportunity that excellent education provides, and I support her nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education”. And then doubled down on her praise for DeVos.
It’s obvious that Eli Broad and company have no problem with throwing LGBT families and LGBT children under the bus to pursue their agenda, just as Broad and company have no problem with Eva Moskowitz throwing unworthy at risk kids and kid with special needs under the bus. When it comes to promoting Broad’s “we can have excellent schools and still tax the wealthy at historically low rates and eliminate the estate tax altogether”, his foundation is delighted to financially reward the people fighting hard to promote the DeVos agenda.
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Didn’t they say they would do some advocacy for public schools and oppose the DeVos budget, which harms public school kids?
When does that start? I saw some of them “issued statements” – boy, THAT’S bold. I hope they don’t injure themselves patting themselves on the back for issuing statements.
Is that all public schools get? These carefully parsed mild admonishments crafted by political professionals and then silence?
Can public schools get ONE real advocate in DC? Just one? Someone who values public schools and isn’t afraid to say it?
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Man, these people are awful. This really ought to be a scandal.
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My son, who is 41, is also gay. Last I heard, he and his partner (they are married) want to adopt a child.
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Gay Dads should hold their own rally!
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