WHAT THEY ARE SAYING – DeVos Is An Education Leader That Wants All Students To Have A Chance (Vol. XV)

National School Choice Week gave education reformers, advocates and experts the opportunity to highlight why Betsy DeVos’ approach of giving all student the chance to succeed is what the Dept. of Education needs

January 27, 2017

National School Choice Week gave education reformers, advocates and experts the opportunity to highlight why Betsy DeVos’ approach of giving all students the chance to succeed should be the mission of the Dept. of Education. Here’s the latest compilation of praise surrounding her nomination:

United States Senator Lamar Alexander:  “Even though they disagree with her, Democrats should also promptly confirm Betsy DeVos. Few Americans have done as much to help low-income students have a choice of better schools. She is on the side of our children. Her critics may resent that, but this says more about them than it does about her.”

United States Senator Tom Cotton: “After meeting with Betsy DeVos, I’m confident she’ll work hard to put a quality education within reach of every child in Arkansas and America. She has a long record of championing better public schools and parental choice, especially for the disadvantaged.

• “She’s rightly skeptical of any attempt by Washington to impose social-engineering fads on Arkansas’s parents and teachers. And she fully appreciates the challenge of reforming the Department of Education. As the son of a middle-school principal and teacher, I look forward to supporting her nomination.”

Ohio Governor John Kasich: “I believe we are truly measured by how we treat the most vulnerable among us. Betsy DeVos has met this character test.”

• “She has long been a leader in the mentoring movement, serving as a mentor and helping to find role models for at-risk children. You can see her love for learning and commitment to kids throughout her 28-year fight for education reform.”

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu: ““Betsy DeVos is a strong champion for state and local control of education.”

• “She is fully committed to curtailing the federal overreach into our classrooms and freeing the hands of governors, state lawmakers and local school boards to experiment with innovative reforms to improve student learning.”

Michigan Congressman David Trott & Congressman Mike Bishop: “DeVos has the backbone and independence to shake things up. She has proven time and again that she has the mettle to implement innovative methods that will improve education for all.

• “As members of Congress and parents who work with our K-12 system today, we respect and greatly appreciate the tireless work of all our educators. This is not an attack on public schools; this is about making sure every child has the opportunity to succeed, no matter their community or background.”

Former Speaker Of The Florida House Of Representatives Will Weatherford: “DeVos is a change agent who will provide the much-needed reforms. How do I know? Because I have witnessed first-hand her partnership with other change agents.”

• “Every child deserves access to a great school regardless of their zip code, income or race. DeVos is a forceful and passionate advocate for at-risk children. She is the right woman to lead a long overdue national debate on school choice and parental control of our schools.”

• “I urge all who are concerned about the direction of our education system and the needs of our children to contact the U.S. Senators from their state and ask them to support the confirmation of DeVos. The future of our nation depends upon the quality of our children’s education.”

Colorado State Senator Owen Hill: “Her credentials and experience speak for themselves. She is a battle-tested education advocate and reformer who has spent nearly 30 years on the front lines fighting for children.”

• “A strong believer in parents and communities to make the right choices for their kids, her leadership has helped empower countless families — especially those from minority and low-income backgrounds — with greater choice. No child should be stuck in a chronically failing school, because, in her own words, every child deserves access to a quality education.”

• “If her hearing was any indication, DeVos is a political outsider who will undoubtedly shake up the bureaucracy in Washington for the better.”

Barney Bishop, Democrat and former President and CEO Of Associated Industries of Florida: “Public education is a promise our country makes to ensure every child has the best chance at a successful future, but our education system has long failed too many students. Betsy DeVos will fight to change that, but to do so, she needs to be confirmed as Education Secretary. Sen. Nelson and his colleagues in the U.S. Senate must confirm her and stand on the side of parents and not teacher unions.”

Pastor Dwight Montgomery, President of the Memphis Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference: “I met Betsy DeVos a few years ago, and I am so pleased that President Donald Trump has nominated her to be the next Secretary of Education. She’s a wonderful woman who has the utmost concern for our children. I thank God that He has opened the door for a woman with integrity and the commitment to make sure our children have the best environment to receive the education suitable for each student.”

• “Betsy DeVos has been advocating for better schools across the board, putting children’s interests ahead of all else. We need leaders who want good education, regardless of how the children receive it.”

Matthew Brouillette, Former Teacher And School Board Member And President And CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs: “A believer that parents and teachers in the classroom make the best decisions for their students, DeVos has fought to improve conventional public schools while simultaneously expanding alternative school options.”

• “DeVos has been a leader in education and has a proven track record of getting the job done right for kids, parents and teachers. She will work to ensure local communities retain control over education while being held accountable. She deserves a fair vote.”

Dan Currell, Legal Consultant: “Into this complex picture walks Betsy DeVos, a relentless school-choice advocate.”

• “Her philanthropic career has never strayed from the issue of school choice. She has campaigned in her home state and across the country to give lower-income families the chance to choose the right schools for their children.”

Robert Holland, Senior Fellow At The Heartland Institute: “None of those facts alters the context of DeVos’s making a point about the stark differences between urban, suburban, and rural schools and the wisdom of not imposing one-size-fits-all policy prescriptions from Washington, D.C.”

Ben DeGrow, Director For Mackinac Center For Public Policy: “There are still many ways to help even more students in the short term. Better access to choice schools must include creative solutions to help impoverished families with their transportation needs.”

• “The path forward won’t be smooth or easy, but the hope it gives parents, not to mention the brighter future it gives children, will make it worthwhile. It begins with honoring parents’ ability to choose the schools that best meet their children’s needs.”