The hits just keep coming for Donald Trump as he announced yet another member of his cabinet. As with some of his other selections, Trump's new Secretary of Education has been met with criticism.
Education pick
Over the last two weeks, Donald Trump has created controversy by adding controversial names to his administration, including Breitbart News' Steve Bannon, Sen. Jeff Sessions, and retired Gen. Michael Flynn. The next name to be added to that list is Betsy DeVos, whom Trump nominated to become the next Education Secretary. DeVos has made her name as a mega donor to the Republican party, who is known to be anti-public school, as she has helped lobby in the state of Michigan to move to a charter school system.
While The Hill reports on November 23 that establishment Republicans, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, are thrilled with the pick, others are not.
Trump picks GOP megadonor Betsy DeVos for Education secretary despite past support for Common Core:https://t.co/D9d9UTH0hF pic.twitter.com/VULEG92Ucl
— The Hill (@thehill) November 23, 2016
According to the education website known as "Chalkbeat," DeVos' lobbying influence in Michigan's education system has resulted in "roughly 80 percent of charters in Michigan are run by private companies, far more than in any other state." While part of DeVos' plan is to turn public education into a for-profit business, her motive is actually rooted in a more personal cause.
This woman is now in charge of America's public school system.https://t.co/m9EdDwjEtm
— If You Only News (@IfYou0nlyNews) November 23, 2016
DeVos is a devout Christian, who has pushed for the elimination of the teaching of evolution in the public school system, and to be replaced by "Christian education," especially in science classrooms.
As pointed out by "If You Only News," one of the most widely used Christian books that are making their way into charter schools refer to evolution as a "wicked and wain philosophy," while teaching the debunked theory that "many scientists today are Creationists."
Family ties
Jennifer Jacobs, a national political reporter for Bloomberg Politics, went into Betsy DeVos' family history, and revealed some troubling information.
"DeVos’ brother is Erik Prince, the ex-Navy SEAL, ex-CIA spy, founder of Blackwater, security firm banned from Iraq after fatal shootings," Jacobs tweeted. Blackwater, now known as "Academi," came under fire in 2007 when a group of their security employees were convicted of killing 17 Iraqi civilians in Nisour Square, Baghdad, while injuring nearly two dozen others.
DeVos’ brother is Erik Prince, the ex-Navy SEAL, ex-CIA spy, founder of Blackwater, security firm banned from Iraq after fatal shootings. https://t.co/BDO2h4jszW
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 23, 2016
Moving forward
By Donald Trump nominating Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary, it signals another shift to the far right in his political positioning for the country.
Once a supporter of the common-core education model, DeVos is now opposed to the program, as she appears to have her sights set on dramatically shifting the nation's education agenda into the future.