Chuck Schumer: Trump's Education Pick Would 'Single-Handedly Decimate' Public Schools

Source: The Huffington Post

The Senates top Democrat says he will vote against Betsy DeVos

01/26/2017 07:00 am ET Updated 2 hours ago

Laura Barron-Lopez
Congressional Reporter, The Huffington Post

PHILADELPHIA ― Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a scathing statement Thursday that he plans to vote against President Donald Trumps pick to head the Education Department.

Trumps nominee, Betsy DeVos, [link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/betsy-devos-guns-schools_us_587ec02de4b01cdc64c86fcefloundered during her confirmation hearing] last week as Democrats took turns questioning her ability to lead the department. DeVos, a billionaire from a powerful Republican family in Michigan, has been dedicated to funneling money to school choice efforts ― and away from public schools.

Betsy DeVos would single-handedly decimate our public education system if she were confirmed, Schumer said. Her plan to privatize education would deprive students from a good public education, while helping students from wealthy families get another leg up.

Earlier this week, Democrats urged Republicans to [link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/betsy-devos-senate-democrats_us_58864d9ce4b0e3a7356ad158schedule a second hearing] for them to ask DeVos more questions now that all of her paperwork has been released by the Office of Government Ethics. Its unlikely to happen, but the committee vote on her nomination was postponed until the end of the month.

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