DeVos bad for schools

There’s a dangerous tendency to take for granted the role and structure of America’s public schools. Americans are generally unaware of the very real threats currently facing our public schools. Now we’re confronted with Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos for secretary of education. Billionaire DeVos’ vision for public education could radically undermine the role our public schools have historically played in giving hope to America’s underclass for a better life through educational attainment.

DeVos favors using public money to fund virtually anything calling itself a “school.” She favors the elimination of nearly all regulation of publicly funded schools. Under her voucher system philosophy, it is even conceivable that a white supremacist school could receive public money to teach white superiority.

Meanwhile, public schools would certainly be underfunded, what with scarce public money being siphoned off for new religious and ideological schools. We know that charter schools have already resegregated America’s schools. Expanding under-regulated charter schools and offering vouchers to anything calling itself a school will unquestionably exacerbate this trend.

DeVos favors an unregulated marketplace of schools catering to our basest instincts: Keep to your own. Profit grandly using public money. Increase and secure advantages for the already advantaged students.

Andy James

Colville