One of the most controversial decisions that Donald Trump has made since becoming president has been the nomination of Republican donor Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary. After DeVos was narrowly confirmed by the Senate, she took to Twitter to engage with the public, but it didn't go so well.
DeVos on Twitter
Betsy DeVos is a billionaire Republican donor who has been known for her anti-public school agenda, while catering to private establishments. DeVos has long pushed for a charter school system, doing significant damage to public education in Michigan.
In addition, DeVos is also a fundamentalist Christian, and is a believer in the debunked Christian creationism myth, opposing the scientifically-back theory of evolution. Despite the harsh backlash she has received from critics and political opponents, DeVos will be leading the country's education system, with Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. lending a hand as a leader of a new "task force" team. As seen across Twitter on February 10, DeVos' interaction on social media resulted in backlash.
Day 1 on the job is done, but we’re only getting started. Now where do I find the pencils? :) pic.twitter.com/0vRKF1opE9
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVos) February 9, 2017
"Day 1 on the job is done, but we're only getting started," Betsy DeVos wrote on her Twitter account earlier this week, before adding, "Now where do I find the pencils?
:)" Over the next 48 hours, the new Secretary of Education would be mocked and trolled, as public school supporters expressed their frustration. "Not in the thousands of public schools that can barely afford supplies. Looking forward to you cleaning that lil issue up," one Twitter user wrote, while mocking DeVos.
@BetsyDeVos not in the thousands of public schools that can barely afford supplies. Looking forward to you cleaning that lil issue up.
— Erin Weaver (@ByErinWeaver) February 9, 2017
@ByErinWeaver @BetsyDeVos she will privatize them and only wealthy families will be able to provide their children an education..
— Debbie Engen (@debbie_engen) February 9, 2017
"She will privatize them and only wealthy families will be able to provide their children an education," another comment read.
"Enjoy destroying our education system. Good luck with your incompetence," Editor of Movie Pilot News, Alisha Graudo tweeted. "I'm terrified by your incompetence," another message noted. The criticism kept piling on, with one tweet reading, "Her incompetence is the only thing that gives me hope. If she enacts her agenda, public education is f**ed."
@ZackPearlman @BetsyDeVos Her incompetence is the only thing that gives me hope. If she enacts her agenda, public education is fucked.
— John Smith (@GOP_U) February 9, 2017
@BetsyDeVos Enjoy destroying our education system. Good luck with your incompetence.
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) February 9, 2017
Moving forward
The opposition to Betsy DeVos as the new Education Secretary was so large that it took Vice President Mike Pence to break a tie in the Senate after two Republicans voted against her. With DeVos now in the charge, the future of the public education system in the United States hangs in the balance.
