NYSUT Comes Out Against Betsy Devos

Whereas, Betsy DeVos was nominated to serve as Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education ; and

Whereas, Betsy DeVos has no credentials or any experience to serve in this position as she has never had any experience with public schools; and

Whereas, Betsy DeVos has been known as a fierce proponent of school vouchers and charter schools and served as chairwoman of the board of the Alliance for School Choice; and

Whereas, in 2003, Betsy DeVos and her husband began the All Children Matter PAC to fund legislative initiatives to promote school vouchers and tax credits for private, parochial schools in various State Legislatures; and

Whereas, Betsy DeVos also serves in various capacities in organizations whose mission is to privatize and destroy traditional public schools, including: the Advocates for School Choice, the American Education Reform Council, the Education Freedom Fund; Choices for Children; Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP) and the American Federation for Children (AFC); Children First America; and

Whereas, Betsy DeVos has been credited as one of the architects of the Detroit Charter School System which has enriched unregulated, unaccountable, for-profit charter school operators while leaving thousands of students behind academically; and

Whereas, at her confirmation hearing, Betsy DeVos could not answer the most basic questions regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), jokingly supported allowing firearms on school grounds, was unable to distinguish between or explain her position on the critical and controversial on-going national debate on assessments being based on student “growth” or “proficiency;” and would not commit to the fact that all school should be held to the same standards; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that NYSUT opposes the appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education; and be it further