Stephen Colbert has his turn deconstructing the 60 Minutes interview of Betsy DeVos.
He perceptively zeroes in on her nonsensical claim that she doesn’t pay much attention to schools (they are just “buildings”) or systems, but only on individual students. Colbert wonders how the Secretary of Education can pay attention only to each of 50 million students. He suggests renaming the Department of Education the Department of Jennifer.
Of course, she was unable to talk about Michigan, whose numbers on national tests have sharply declined since DeVos took charge of education policy by generously funding key legislators.
Remember, DeVos says she is “not a numbers person.” How can anyone be Secretary of Education and not pay attention to states, districts, schools, and the trends embodied in national data? Why would she be unaware of the backward trends in her home state, where she has been deeply engaged?
By the way, after her disastrous appearance on TV, she quickly tweeted data from NAEP and international tests to assert that public schools are making no gains. Neither is true. I wish she would read my book “Reign of Error” and see that NAEP scores are the highest ever (but flattened out in 2015 after a solid decade of reform strategies) and that the USA never posted high international test scores, that we typically score in the middle, and that poverty is the root cause of low test scores.
I promise you will never hear this billionaire talk about poverty and/or segregation. These are root causes of poor school performance, but they are of no interest to her. She prefers to promote failing and failed school choice programs.
Peter Greene has a different take on Betsy’s refusal to acknowledge “school systems,” “school districts,” or even “schools.” She says it is because she only wants to focus on individuals, which is really hard to do when you are in charge of the U.S. Department of Education. Actually, it is impossible. Peter thinks she is wishing away those buildings and districts and schools. She has her own agenda.

I wonder… (NO, I ACTUALLY DOUBT) if she watched the report right after hers on 60 minutes about how trauma effects children and adolescents. The number of kids in poverty in trauma and the amount of trauma they face is far more than kids in suburbs face. Those issues explain the achievement gap and she is clueless.
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I agree. There is a huge connection between trauma and lack academic performance. The mind needs to heal just as much as the body does. I have worked with students from war torn countries, and their adjustment takes time with heavy doses of TLC. Having access to psychological services are much needed, but rarely provided.
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I wish CBS had hired you to conduct this interview. You could have blinded her with science. A garden party guest in “Get Out” is a perfect description of Cruella DeVos.
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This woman is clueless. And more than that, she and the people who think like her are dangerous to public schools, and to the “common good” in this country.
Yes, Colbert was funny, and spot on, but I find it difficult to laugh at Cruella DeVos.
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I think Colbert’s take on DeVos’ 60 Minutes debacle is almost as important as John Oliver’s take on charter schools. Huge! I’m not sure funny is the right word — maybe knifelike. And funny. I hope every Democrat in America saw it.
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“It is only because of their stupidity that they are able to be so sure of themselves.”
― Franz Kafka
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Maybe a video artist should get a permit to play and replay this “60 Minutes” interview with DeVos OVER and OVER and OVER ad nausea… outdoors around Congress to shock, surprise and disgust those members of Congress claiming to represent the public… to rub in the point about so DUMB as to outright SCARY! Maybe someone like the video/installation artist Tony Oursler could twist and dement the limited psyche of DeVos and nightmarishly scare the heck out of members of Congress!!! Don’t know if this emoticon shortcut will work but it sure expresses my reaction to the 60 Minutes interview if it does translate to a graphic of a nauseous emoticon … :puke!
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Nice idea, especially if it were projected on the walls of ED
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“It’s a system called: ‘stupid’.”
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Ms. DeVos is not a numbers person— unless the numbers go in her direction…
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Devos was able to side step Trump after the interview on 60 mins. However, the clock is ticking Betsy and its only a matter of time you can ask Mr. Tillerson. Then Betsy can resume her quest to privatize schools win the state of Michigan which she has already ruined!
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Our Dear Leader only hires the best people! I really am getting tired of winning.
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