W. DEREK RUSSELL
The old adage of “if you work hard enough, anything is possible” can often be misinterpreted as, “if you pay enough money, anything is possible.”
Uneducated Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos knows what that feels like as of Tuesday, when she successfully proved that GOP senators are more loyal to President Trump than they are to the future of the United States.
And, disastrously, more loyal to money. Unfortunately, that’s not a new thing. DeVos isn’t the first well-to-doer to buy a cabinet position, and she won’t be the last. However, she’s one of the more detrimental in recent years.
Since we’re having to learn so many new terms under the current administration, I’d like to offer up a new one: Antiqualified.
I’ll use it in a sentence: “Cruella DeVos is antiqualified to represent public schools, nay, education in the U.S.”
DeVos will be the first U.S. education secretary never to have attended public school, nor sent her children to one. And while that’s not a bad thing, it’s not great for somebody in her position. She’s in over her head and her “aw, shucks” mentality is another notch in the belt of turmoil that our elected leader has promised time and time again to resolve and “make great again” by draining the swamp. But instead of draining it, he’s added a tennis court and landscape lighting to the grounds.
It’s sort of a one-two punch; our new president makes fun of people with disabilities, and our new secretary of education doesn’t believe in protecting their needs – a matter “best left to the states.”
DeVos doesn’t seem to believe in equality, on a human rights level nor as a basis for education. She favors for-profit charter school models over traditional public schooling. In the simplest of terms, somebody who hasn’t done their homework shouldn’t be in a cabinet position representing education.
I am, however, excited to learn about new things when my daughter pulls her homework from her backpack each night. Maybe students will finally learn when and where the Bowling Green Massacre happened under DeVos’ leadership. Perhaps we will finally understand the math that proves how millions committed voter fraud in November’s election and how millions more showed up for the inauguration.
DeVos’ appointment doesn’t come down to party loyalty. In as much as I said last week the arts are important to everyone, whether you take part in them or not, it is true that public education is important, whether you choose to send your children there or not. It’s fine if you send your child to private school. It’s great if you home school your child. And it’s perfectly acceptable if I send mine to public school. Everyone deserves a shot at education.
DeVos’ lack of understanding, respect and support of public schools and those who work for them, benefit from them and are products of them should be viewed as nothing less than disingenuous.
When you come right down to it, it’s actually a genius plan putting her in this position, and I have to applaud President Trump for the decision. Because not putting our public schools and children first champions uneducated voters for the future.
W. Derek Russell is the Daily Journal’s arts and entertainment reporter. Contact him @wderekrussell on Twitter or email him at derek.russell@journalinc.com.