New York City Education Panel Votes To Oppose Betsy DeVos Nomination

CITY HALL, NY — A New York City education panel passed a resolution on Monday night opposing the nomination of Betsy DeVos for education secretary.

The Panel for Education Policy, part of the city's Department of Education, took the unusual step of publicly opposing DeVos, who is President Trump's pick for education secretary. DeVos has faced repeated criticisms from Democrats in the Senate because of her lack of experience with the public education system in the United States. Neither she nor any of her children have attended a public school.

The resolution said that DeVos, an advocate for charter schools and tuition voucher programs, "appears to lack credentials as an educator or experience in the administration and management of public schools," and that she had a history of supporting programs that "jeopardize access to free and appropriate public education for specific economic, social and racial groups." Before the resolution passed, public school advocates demonstrated on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse, where the panel meeting took place.

The resolution also faults DeVos for failing "to demonstrate a sufficient understanding of educational policies" and federal laws governing federal education such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

A Senate committee is scheduled to vote on her nomination on Tuesday.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, has said he will vote against DeVos and several other Trump cabinet nominees. Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said last week that DeVos would "would single-handedly decimate our public education system if she were confirmed."

Image by Keith A. Almli via Wikimedia Commons