WAUKESHA, Wis. – When Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote Tuesday to approve the appointment of Betsy DeVos as the nation’s education secretary, school choice supporters in Wisconsin cheered the news while opponents said they would keep watch on DeVos.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in a statement said he was pleased to support President Donald Trump’s controversial nominee in Tuesday’s historic vote.
“No child, regardless of background or ZIP code, should be denied the opportunity to receive a first-rate education,” the Oshkosh Republican said. “I appreciate Ms. DeVos’ commitment to providing families with options for their children’s education…”
DeVOS CONFIRMED ON PARTISAN VOTE: Sen. Tammy Baldwin voted against school reform advocate Betsy DeVos’ nomination for secretary of the Department of Education, while Sen. Ron Johnson voted for Trump’s pick. Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote.
At the time of her nomination, DeVos was chairman of the American Federation for Children, a national school choice advocacy group, and a philanthropist who had been active in the school choice and charter school movements. Already targeted by teachers unions afraid of her support for education reform, a rocky confirmation hearing gave Democrats hope of blocking her confirmation. But only two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine, voted against DeVos. With the vote evenly split 50-50, Pence cast the deciding vote in her favor.
Gov. Scott Walker, who also serves as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, predicted that DeVos would work with the states to improve education.
“Secretary DeVos will fight to ensure every child has the opportunity to reach his or her potential in the classroom, and will stand with parents who want to have the final say on where their children go to school – not government bureaucrats,” Walker said in a statement. “We congratulate Betsy DeVos on her confirmation as America’s next Secretary of Education and look forward to working with her.”
Democrats see Devos’ confirmation as an assault on the traditional public education system and a loss for their teacher union allies.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin joined with her fellow Democrats to vote against DeVos following an all nighter of attack speeches to mostly empty chairs.
“I voted against Betsy DeVos’ confirmation because she lacks the public education experience and qualifications for this job. I believe Wisconsin students, teachers and parents deserve better,” Baldwin said on her Facebook page following the vote.
Wisconsin school choice proponents were thrilled.
The Wisconsin Coalition of School Choice Advocates, comprised of School Choice Wisconsin, Hispanics for School Choice, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and Wisconsin Federation for Children, issued a joint statement saying that they were hopeful DeVos could now turn her attention to “the pressing needs” of America’s school children.
“Mrs. DeVos has been intimately involved in education reform efforts here in Wisconsin,” the coalition statement said. “Her continued focus will be on supporting those innovative leaders who excel.”
“As leaders in Wisconsin education, we are excited about her commitment to sending more power and flexibility back to the states so that we can have a greater say in education policy,” the coalition added.
The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy said DeVos is “the right person to drive the change we need.”
“It is exciting that someone as committed to education reform and educational options for parents like Betsy DeVos is now in charge of our nation’s school system,” said Brett Healy, president of the Madison-based think tank.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state’s largest teachers union and a large backer of the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, posted a statement from National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García.
“We are going to watch what Betsy DeVos does. And we are going to hold her accountable for the actions and decisions she makes on behalf of the more than 50 million students in our nation’s public schools,” García said. “America is speaking out. Betsy DeVos needs to listen. The hundreds of thunderous rallies, the flood of phone calls, and the deluge of millions of emails in opposition to the DeVos’ nomination deny the Trump administration a mandate to take over our public schools.”
The vote to confirm DeVos also caused a stir in the ostensibly non-partisan race for Wisconsin Superintendent for the Department of Public Instruction.
“Ms. DeVos has a great opportunity to help schools across the nation by reducing regulatory burdens that take the focus from students and teachers,” candidate John Humphries said in a statement. “She can also support states like Wisconsin by providing additional support for school choice while leaving it to states to focus on results and accountability for all schools.”
SEE RELATED: Betsy DeVos confirmed as education secretary
That caused the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, a beneficiary of teachers unions’ financial support, to attack Humphries despite the non-partisan nature of the election.
“It’s a part of our progressive traditions to invest in public education to create a pathway to the middle-class and beyond for all of our young citizens,” party chairman Martha Laning said in a statement. “Which is why it is deeply troubling to see state Superintendent candidate, John Humphries, celebrating the confirmation of someone like Betsy DeVos who owes her nomination to multiple campaigns destroying public education and huge donations to the very Senators who confirmed her.”
Lowell Holz, another candidate for DPI superintendent, also praised DeVos.
“Congratulations to Secretary DeVos on her confirmation by the US Senate today!” Holz said. “Her intellect and leadership will serve the expansion and longevity of school choice well in Wisconsin and nationwide. Today’s news is a positive development for the future of America’s children.”
DPI Superintendent Tony Evers did not plan on issuing a statement, according to DPI communications director Tim McCarthy, and the Evers re-election campaign did not respond to a request for a comment. Holtz, Humphries and Evers face each other in a nonpartisan primary election Feb. 21. The top two candidates will face off in the April 4 general election.