Devos Confirmed

[Dug]

Hah! In some ways Pence is worse than Trump. I'm sure he's all for destroying public education.

Yep. Religious schools are right up Pence's alley. Anyone thinking he would vote against is living in crazy land lol

[The Stormbringer]

Science has been turning subjective for years now, like teaching theories as facts, and yes even "climate change" is a theory and a shit theory at that, as if you want to look at carbon emissions check out volcanoes vs human activity.

Holy shit, you have no idea how scientific theory works, do you?

[Zenfoldor]

Why are charter schools better? Is that the reason why DeVos fought against any form of accountability for charters in Michigan? Because they are better?

Charter performance varies, but they give new opportunities to kids who may be failed or being failed by public schools. I'm not even going to argue that they provide better service(even though I personally believe they do) what I am going to tell you is an anecdote. I went to a bad public school.(I'm going to edit out my personal info here, because there is no reason to dis a school) I didn't have a choice because I didn't have the money to attend a private school or a charter school. I want kids to have a choice. So do you.

[Azadina]

Kaine: “If confirmed will you insist upon equal accountability in any K-12 school or educational program that receives taxpayer funding whether public, public charter or private?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Equal accountability?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Is that a yes or a no?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Do you not want to answer my question?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Let me ask you this. I think all schools that receive taxpayer funding should be equally accountable. Do you agree?”
DeVos: “Well they don’t, they are not today.”
Kaine: “Well, I think they should. Do you agree with me?
DeVos: “Well no . . . ”

*laughs* Oh tell me this can't be for real?

[Fahrenheit]

So if we agree that public schools in the US are shit and that private and charter schools are generally better, why are you against Devos? Do you even know, lol? Oh, she's with Trump so I'm gonna stick my liberal prick in the mix to seem relevant. The winning continues. Thanks Harry.

They aren't. Public schools are typically what the parents of the children make of them. There is a baseline requirement for what a child needs to accel in the school atmosphere, but the bulk of how a child does is squarely on the shoulders of parents.
The problem is now we very well might be seeing our tax dollars go towards vouchers for parents who want to put their child is parochial school or charter school. Neither of which as set standards nor a democratically elected school board which govern the schools as the community sees fit. And that's the issue. They get our money, but are able to set their own rules, often times coming well short of what expected. See Michigan's charter schools (DeVos' home state).

[ShadowofVashj]

Charter performance varies, but they give new opportunities to kids who may be failed or being failed by public schools. I'm not even going to argue that they provide better service(even though I personally believe they do) what I am going to tell you is an anecdote. I went to a public school. It wasn't a good one. I'm not talking "California bad" I'm talking "Mississippi bad" this is not ideal for learning and I'd wager I went to a worse school than anyone on this forum. I didn't have a choice because I didn't have the money to attend a private school or a charter school. I want kids to have a choice. So do you.

And what political party has had dominant control of that state? Why can't they fix the problem themselves? That's got nothing to do with Federal anything. You know what the answer is? Republicans hate education and want a stupid electorate. So they can do whatever they want and not get questioned. We're watching their wet dream happen in real life as we speak.

[Fahrenheit]

*laughs* Oh tell me this can't be for real?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video...91c_video.html

Around 3:10

[Stormspellz]

So if we agree that public schools in the US are shit and that private and charter schools are generally better, why are you against Devos? Do you even know, lol? Oh, she's with Trump so I'm gonna stick my liberal prick in the mix to seem relevant. The winning continues. Thanks Harry.

Michigan (DeVoss's home turf) has public schools continually out performing her project schools (aka bribing her way into control) even as the public school's funding keeps getting slashed, further more she heavily favors fundamentalist religious schooling (flat / young earth level stuff)

she has had ZERO experience in actual work in public office, teaching, or school administration, but her and her family has given hundreds of millions to the GOP over the years

but ya this just "liberals" stomping her feet at trump.

[Skroe]

So in short its reid's fault that Trump nominated wildly incompetent people and a majority of the senate approves of said candidates

I'm saying that if Harry Reid didn't open the avenue for this, Trump's wildly incompetent people likely never would have even been proposed, never mind confirmed. Because going from 51 to 60 votes is a true mountain to climb.

Don't get me wrong, Trump's proposed generally the worst cabinet I've ever seen. But he's also getting them passed through rules that Harry Reid made possible.

[Xeones]

Education =/= intelligence.

Some jobs definitely need a skilled and educated workforce. However many, probably the vast majority, don't need anything a competent education system couldn't teach high school kids. Time and money are finite resources, so when we channel those into unnecessary education we pay an opportunity cost.

Sounds like you're talking about college, but the issue is she wants to destroy public education, which is incredibly important.

[Zenfoldor]

And what political party has had dominant control of that state? Why can't they fix the problem themselves? That's got nothing to do with Federal anything. You know what the answer is? Republicans hate education and want a stupid electorate. So they can do whatever they want and not get questioned. We're watching their wet dream happen in real life as we speak.

I'm not really a Republican. PS: I edited out the state name in the previous post. I don't think it's fair to single out any one public school. A lot of them are underfunded. My point is that kids should get a choice, imho.

[Sky High]

Kaine: “If confirmed will you insist upon equal accountability in any K-12 school or educational program that receives taxpayer funding whether public, public charter or private?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Equal accountability?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Is that a yes or a no?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Do you not want to answer my question?”
DeVos: “I support accountability.”
Kaine: “Let me ask you this. I think all schools that receive taxpayer funding should be equally accountable. Do you agree?”
DeVos: “Well they don’t, they are not today.”
Kaine: “Well, I think they should. Do you agree with me?
DeVos: “Well no . . . ”

such reform, much drain the swamp.

[Xeones]

So if we agree that public schools in the US are shit and that private and charter schools are generally better, why are you against Devos? Do you even know, lol? Oh, she's with Trump so I'm gonna stick my liberal prick in the mix to seem relevant. The winning continues. Thanks Harry.

We don't agree. Charter schools in the two states I went to high school were where kids who couldn't go anywhere else went. They were barely a step up from education in juvie.

[Allerius]

Sounds like you're talking about college, but the issue is she wants to destroy public education, which is incredibly important.

There isn't any evidence public education is better than private, if anything the opposite is likely to be true. See http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/12/02...-on-schooling/ for a good read on the subject.

[Deleted]

But her emails?

[Azadina]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video...91c_video.html

Around 3:10

Hahahahah Oh lord. How do the people in the room even keep straight face, instead of burst laughing at something that dumb.

[Zenfoldor]

Sounds like you actually went to one of Betsy's charter schools.

Nope, public.

- - - Updated - - -

We don't agree. Charter schools in the two states I went to high school were where kids who couldn't go anywhere else went. They were barely a step up from education in juvie.

Fair, but surely you want the kids to be able to choose where they want to attend, instead of having zero choice.

[Xeones]

Fair, but surely you want the kids to be able to choose where they want to attend, instead of having zero choice.

I care less about them getting a choice than I do about them getting a good education. Which is not the goal.

[mage21]

She's spent most of her career working on education reform projects, so she seems qualified. I know some are saying that since she's never been an educator, she's not qualified, but that's a bit like saying the CEO of Ford is unfit because he's never worked as automobile repairman.

[Xeones]

She's spent most of her career working on education reform projects, so she seems qualified. I know some are saying that since she's never been an educator, she's not qualified, but that's a bit like saying the CEO of Ford is unfit because he's never worked as automobile repairman.

Her reforms have been pushing under performing charter schools created to push religion.