Though now official the Secretary of Education in the United States, the nomination of Betsy DeVos to the position was one of the most polarizing of all nominations made by President Donald Trump. Best known as a proponent of charter schools and for the use of vouchers that let students attend those schools, DeVos just narrowly earned her position. Public schools teacher cite a few basic reasons for opposing her.
Lack of Funding
Public schools across the country have so many funding issues that teachers sometimes purchase supplies for their students out of their own pockets. As DeVos favors charter and private schools, some worry that she’ll force through more funding for those schools while limiting the funds that public schools receive. This is especially troubling in areas that have fewer options. Kids who have no option other than public school may receive a poorer education because the school lacks the funding that it needs.
Guns and Schools
During her confirmation hearings, DeVos spoke up and claimed that she would work with others to stop a law that would ban guns on school grounds. DeVos explained that in some rural areas, students and teachers should have the right to defend themselves. Some public school teachers are against her because of this simple comment. Having guns on-site can lead to serious problems, including students gaining access to those weapons or attackers taking those weapons away and using the guns on students and teachers.
Special Education
In an article with the Huffington Post, a special education teacher in Texas claims that she is against DeVos because the woman wants to give states the right to set their own regulations regarding special education students and classes. The teacher points out that Texas did a poor job in the past in giving those classes the resources and funding necessary and that she fears what might happen to her own students as well as those in other cities and states if states gain control over those classes.
Lack of Students
A troublesome issue that some worry about is an overall lack of students. If DeVos pushes through a voucher plan, it would allow parents the option of choosing where to send their schools. This could lead to parents abandoning the public school system in favor of charter schools. Public schools would then face even more funding problems, while charter schools may grow so quickly that those schools cannot keep up with the influx of new students. A voucher system could possibly do more harm than good.
Teacher Salaries
There is also a risk under Betsy DeVos that teacher salaries and jobs might change. To work in a public school, a teacher must have both a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license. Private and charter schools do not always require the same things. Some of those teaching in charter schools are parents who are more familiar with home school programs than traditional school classes. Those teachers will work for less, which may lead to public schools offering teachers less for the same jobs. If charter schools become more popular, there is also a risk that teacher unions might fail or that teachers might lose some of their benefits.
The Secretary of Education should look out for all types of students, but during her hearings, DeVos appeared unfamiliar with education laws that protect students with disabilities and had a difficult time answering other questions asked of her. Those issues and others like the potential risk of vouchers for charter schools and a lack of funding for public schools led to teachers across the nation uniting against Betsy DeVos.
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