By Dustin Rowles | Social Media | February 7, 2017 |
By Dustin Rowles | Social Media | February 7, 2017 |
As Education Secretary, Besty DeVos — who was confirmed today, despite no qualifications whatsoever beyond the millions of dollars she and her family have donated to Republicans — is going to ignore disabled students (she has no idea what the IDEA is) and largely leave matters of education up to the states to decide. In those wealthy blue states and cities where education remains a priority and where choices already abound, state and local governments — in most cases — are going to mostly do the right thing by their schools. They’re going to continue to put money into the public schools, even if it means raising local and property taxes. Some of us may have to pay more for the same education.
It’s the largely Republican districts that are going to suffer the most, because the school choice she advocates is going to ruin public school in low-income areas, which I suppose is what Republicans really want: To keep uneducated voters uneducated, so that they will continue to vote against their interests by voting for Republicans, based less on their policies and more on the fact that they oppose civil rights measures. So if you’re a white kid in rural Mississippi who has the means to drive 40 miles away to the closest Jesuit school, you’re cool. You’ll be fine. But all the kids who don’t have the means (or preferences for religious education) who are left behind in public schools? They’re f**ked.
That’s assuming, of course, that Betsy DeVos is even competent enough to push her own policies through Congress.
In either respect, it’s a dark day in a dark year for America when Republicans confirm an insanely unqualified candidate to hold a cabinet position responsible for the nation’s public education, especially when that unqualified candidate opposes the public school system.
In other words, the nation as a whole is f**ked.
Twitter reacted, as expected:
Gutless, soulless monsters. https://t.co/5KNjZV7lMN
— TK (@TKhatesyou) February 7, 2017
Very important to get your DeVos jokes in while people can still read
— Dan Sheehan (@ItsDanSheehan) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos confirmed. What is also confirmed is that there is not one single man of courage in the Republican Congress.
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) February 7, 2017
Writing down and memorizing the names of Senators whose terms end in 2018. Reading them every night before bed like Arya Stark.
— Jen (@darlinginmyway) February 7, 2017
Hey, I'm grossly unqualified, but I have a casual interest in medical science. Please hire me to burn down your hospital. https://t.co/WE5KF02R80
— Scott Tobias (@scott_tobias) January 31, 2017
I'm sorry to inform you that 48 Republican senators just elected to make public education inaccessible to children with disabilities.
— A. N. Devers (@andevers) February 7, 2017
Betsy Devos got confirmed. Everyone who voted for her should be ashamed. Party before country. They're using children's education as pawns.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos nominated by razor-thin 51-50 vote, but Trump alleges as many as 3 million dead Senators may have voted illegally.
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) February 7, 2017
BREAKING: Betsy DeVos, who doesn't believe in public education, buys Sec of Ed post w/ a tie-breaking vote from a man who wants to cure gays
— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) February 7, 2017
If you're wondering how they could vote to approve DeVos, you should check the spelling in the WH press releases.
— Shawn Milrad (@shawnmilrad) February 7, 2017
By the way, DeVos is 100% courtesy of Mike Pence. You think Trump gives a shit about charter schools?
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) February 7, 2017
Now, we have to make sure DeVos sees & hears our resistance every time she leaves her office, visits a school, pushes her school deforms etc
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) February 7, 2017
Betsy DeVos literally bought and paid for those yes votes. [via @xdelmar59] pic.twitter.com/XICA1Ja8Ab
— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) February 7, 2017
And a reminder that DeVos wants to use tax dollars to "advance God's kingdom." https://t.co/66corff6Lq pic.twitter.com/PIsiwdAAOm
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) February 7, 2017