A Question for B-Fly

[onejayhawk]

What is your opinion of Betsy DeVos, the job she has done and the positions taken by her critics?

I am asking you, since you have professional interest. Please try to give an evenhanded appraisal.

J

[Sour Masher]

I'm an educator and so is my wife, so I'll give my opinion. I think she was under-qualified for the appointment and she has been awful in it. Every day she is Sec of Education is a bad day for education in America. Trump and DeVos are setting back public education, I fear for decades. The cuts and changes to public education in this admin, coupled with the move to support private and parochial education, may be one of the worst parts of this admin's legacy.

In addition to B-Fly, who I do hope responds to you, I know there are other teachers and education employees here, like swampdragon. I'd love to know their thoughts as well.

[swampdragon]

I will add more but will start with the Union piece and they are being generous to her

https://educationvotes.nea.org/2019/03/22/devos/

and don't forget the powerfully beneficial impact that a good pick would have had. We have a tendency to think "she is not all that bad" but dont think about how great a a game changing pick fwould have been. The impact of tearing apart public education of kids can have generationally long lasting impact - especially when there is an active attempt to help the private school (wealthier, privileged) kids instead.

[onejayhawk]

I'm an educator and so is my wife, so I'll give my opinion. I think she was under-qualified for the appointment and she has been awful in it. Every day she is Sec of Education is a bad day for education in America. Trump and DeVos are setting back public education, I fear for decades. The cuts and changes to public education in this admin, coupled with the move to support private and parochial education, may be one of the worst parts of this admin's legacy.

In addition to B-Fly, who I do hope responds to you, I know there are other teachers and education employees here, like swampdragon. I'd love to know their thoughts as well.

Is there a distinction between Secretary of Education and Secretary of Public Education? It seems like you think she is the second. Is she harming all education?

I will add more but will start with the Union piece and they are being generous to her https://educationvotes.nea.org/2019/03/22/devos/ and don't forget the powerfully beneficial impact that a good pick would have had. We have a tendency to think "she is not all that bad" but dont think about how great a a game changing pick fwould have been. The impact of tearing apart public education of kids can have generationally long lasting impact - especially when there is an active attempt to help the private school (wealthier, privileged) kids instead.

Your cite is an attack piece and reads like one. Have you anything more balanced?

In the same vein, school choice is a Republican ideal. Is she promoting that?

J

[B-Fly]

I think she was a terrible choice and has been terrible for education in the US. While I believe there is a role in the American education system for both charter schools and private/parochial schools in PK right through graduate schools, I believe that the US DOE should ultimately be promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of students with particular concern for those being least well served by the status quo. That necessitates a commitment to improving public school outcomes, not just advocating escape routes for a small minority. Meanwhile, for-profit charter schools and for-profit colleges have proven time and again to be deeply predatory, organizing around routes to access public funds and showing little if any sustained commitment to students, families or communities. They've proven they deserve no succor from state or federal governments. I distinguish that from the non-profit charter sector, which while far from perfect, have in numerous places proven that they can achieve great results with populations that have too often been failed by their public school districts. KIPP and Uncommon are the clearest examples there. But I don't see what De Vos is doing to effectively encourage and propagate the good while weeding out the bad or at least denying the bad public succor. Meanwhile, I strongly oppose the De Vos DOE's retreat on enforcement of equity, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws and regulations, particularly at the college level.

[TranaGreg]

... promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of students with particular concern for those being least well served by the status quo. ...

brilliantly stated ... this should be carved into the doorways of every government department/ministry of education.

[frae]

She was a terrible choice who lacked the background or interest in public education to lead an entire Dept. The percent of students in public vs private schools has been roughly 90/10 for almost 25 years and Ms. DeVos has never shown any real interest in improving public education. While I am happy to have a conversation about private/charter/Catholic and other options of education it should not be the focus of the DOE.

The promotion of for-profit schools at both levels has been terrible. For-profit schools do not work for students and when you monetize education like that you forget that your actual priority is educating your students not putting them into insurmountable debt especially the for-profit colleges.

She is an activist for private, charter, for profit, etc type schools and that is fine to have in the education conversation, but it is not a person who should be leading the DOE when 90% of the students she is meant to serve are in public education.

[onejayhawk]

Thanks for the responses. DeVos was a deliberate choice because she is easily the most hated of Trump's secretaries. I think there two sides to the issues and no one even tried to deal with them in a balanced fashion. That said, I will accept she is unpopular for good reason.

Second question, would she still be in office under any other President?

J

[swampdragon]

Thanks for the responses. DeVos was a deliberate choice because she is easily the most hated of Trump's secretaries. I think there two sides to the issues and no one even tried to deal with them in a balanced fashion. That said, I will accept she is unpopular for good reason.

Second question, would she still be in office under any other President?

J

OK - so you try to deal with both sides in a balanced fashion - explain it to us why she is good at her job and what good she is doing

[The Feral Slasher]

What is your opinion of Betsy DeVos, the job she has done and the positions taken by her critics?

I am asking you, since you have professional interest. Please try to give an evenhanded appraisal.

J

Same question for Donald Trump, looking for an evenhanded appraisal. TIA

[onejayhawk]

OK - so you try to deal with both sides in a balanced fashion - explain it to us why she is good at her job and what good she is doing

Teachers unions hate voucher systems and charter schools because it takes money out of public education. However,they assume that public education is the best thing for all children not born wealthy. DeVos, in many cases, represents the opposing view. That is at least worth a debate rather than the blanket condemnation you see here. I also agree that public schools and Universities are stifling free speech and religious choice. DeVos has made some valid on those subjects.

J

[onejayhawk]

Same question for Donald Trump, looking for an evenhanded appraisal. TIA

Even though Revo think he started a trade war with China, Trump has been very good on foreign policy. We have better trade relations with Canada and Mexico and the import/export numbers to prove it. The tax law greatly benefited any company doing business abroad, with the possible exception of those heavily invested in China. Jobs and economy, check. Reducing bueaucratic red tape, check. Reorganizing the federal judiciary, check. He has a lot to do concerning the wall, but that is against heavy opposition. He failed to repeal ACA, though he did manage to pull the long teeth. The whole infrastructure issue has only been sound bites.

En toto, not a bad first term. There is work to do, but the re-election looks very likely. The more interesting question is the length of his coattails in Congress.

J

[revo]

I "think" he started a trade war? Jeez man, you're delusional. The ENTIRE WORLD KNOWS he started a trade war, except apparently on OneJay's Bizarro World. The effects of the Trade War are now ramping up and could lead to a Global Recession, thanks to one ignorant dotard.

Also, as far as trade with Canada and Mexico, how do we have better trade relations when both countries trade deficits have only increased under Dopey?

"Very good" on foreign policy? That's gotta be a joke. Our relations with our allies are at an all-time low. He's embraced dictatorships. He's been embarrassed by North Korea. He's broken treaties without regard to their consequence, and with no plan moving forward on them whatsoever. He's given away incredibly important negotiating chips (i.e. Jerusalem embassy, Golan Heights) and received nothing in return. Peace in the Middle East is further away than it's been in a long time. He's exaggerated incidents in order to bring Iran close to war. He has little regard for history and puts in zero time preparing. THOSE are facts.

The tax cut has done little besides a one quarter 0.3% GDP sugar high. That's it. Studies have routinely proven this. This study came out yesterday:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/study-finds-tax-cut-rocket-fuel-economy-trump/story?id=63344903

You're right, he failed to repeal ACA, lied to the American public that the GOP had a plan, and then lied again that Dems were to blame. He exaggerated/lied about his signature policy, the Wall, and then created a Constitutional Crisis to get some kind of win, thus creating the new "out" (the "National Emergency") for any future president who doesn't get their way while doing so.

His wife created a laughable Anti-Bullying campaign that his entire family themselves don't adhere to.

The last time the country was this divided politically it was the 1860s. Race relations have tanked, with many Trumpies believing it is their duty to Trump to keep White America safe from non-Whites. Anti-Semitic incidents have also skyrocketed during his regime.

He has repeatedly and incessantly lied to the American people, with one outlet reporting his public lies have topped 10,000.

He routinely employs non-partisan entities for personal use and for political gain, such as investigating his political opponents, signs of an autocrat.

His Cabinet is largely made up of loyalists, yes men and severely under qualified individuals.

His popularity has been underwater for his ENTIRE term to date, this despite a good economy and low unemployment.

Lastly, his clear obstruction of justice during the Mueller probe may make him just the third president ever to be impeached. Kudos!

En toto, an absolutely disastrous first term that hopefully will end soon. The more interesting question is whether he is jailed once his term ends and he no longer has the shield of the presidency.

[gcstomp]

revo, love your vim and vigor, in what is essentially swatting the waves back at the beach. Every line you posted is correct, if anything you held back by not addressing the general debasing of the office through, for example, a torrent of self serving and obviously ignorant tweet storm, now averaging some 20 tweets a day, and none are in service of the country. I wish McCain had not been taken as his voice would cut thru to his R comrades who are so largely silent and abdicated their roles in favor of lock stepping with a cancer.

[Sour Masher]

revo, love your vim and vigor, in what is essentially swatting the waves back at the beach. Every line you posted is correct, if anything you held back by not addressing the general debasing of the office through, for example, a torrent of self serving and obviously ignorant tweet storm, now averaging some 20 tweets a day, and none are in service of the country. I wish McCain had not been taken as his voice would cut thru to his R comrades who are so largely silent and abdicated their roles in favor of lock stepping with a cancer.

It truly amazes me the things Republicans are willing to overlook, ignore, forgive, and excuse regarding Trump. If a democratic president did any one of the things Trump does daily, those same people would be up in arms. Of course, that sort of hypocrisy and double standard has always existed to an extent, but I really thought Trump was so beyond the pale, it would make it impossible for Republicans to do it with Trump. I was wrong.