leftspin/gist:7745e0ab72427a3b20713ab771bf35c4

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I am writing to you today to urge your vote to decline Betsy DeVos for the Secretary of the Department of Education.

Ms. DeVos is allegedly a long-time advocate for students; however, she has been instrumental in destroying Michigan’s "public educational system" (sic) by allowing ideologies with no sound scientific backing to guide her actions. She is grossly under-qualified for this position.

She believes in expanding private educational opportunities that fit her ideologies instead of supporting what's best for our childrens' education. Instead of helping to improve public school systems, a system available to all Americans regardless of economic status, she pushes "educational opportunities outside of the public school system" that are loosely vetted and are only available to those whose families can afford them. All children, regardless of their family’s background, should have the opportunity to succeed in the classroom and not be held back in favor of unscrupulous people making a buck.

Ms. DeVos understands that a one-size-fits-all education policy is not the way to prepare our next generation of leaders. However, she conflates a child's individual educational needs with the business of how schools are run and would prefer to create loosely-vetted charter schools instead of helping to improve public schools. She also understands that students’ learning should not be hindered by bureaucracy—teachers and schools should be held accountable for poor performance. However, instead of improving said bureaucracy, she would rather leave it in the dust and turn the reigns over to "educational" organizations whose teachers are sometimes not even required to be licensed.

As the Washington Post writes:

"DeVos isn’t an educator, or an education leader. She’s not an expert in pedagogy or curriculum or school governance. In fact, she has no relevant credentials or experience for a job setting standards and guiding dollars for the nation’s public schools."

Ms. DeVos is not what our students need. I urge you to vote against her nomination so that we can change the direction of our nation’s education system for the better.
	I am writing to you today to urge your vote to decline Betsy DeVos for the Secretary of the Department of Education.

	Ms. DeVos is allegedly a long-time advocate for students; however, she has been instrumental in destroying Michigan’s "public educational system" (sic) by allowing ideologies with no sound scientific backing to guide her actions. She is grossly under-qualified for this position.

	She believes in expanding private educational opportunities that fit her ideologies instead of supporting what's best for our childrens' education. Instead of helping to improve public school systems, a system available to all Americans regardless of economic status, she pushes "educational opportunities outside of the public school system" that are loosely vetted and are only available to those whose families can afford them. All children, regardless of their family’s background, should have the opportunity to succeed in the classroom and not be held back in favor of unscrupulous people making a buck.

	Ms. DeVos understands that a one-size-fits-all education policy is not the way to prepare our next generation of leaders. However, she conflates a child's individual educational needs with the business of how schools are run and would prefer to create loosely-vetted charter schools instead of helping to improve public schools. She also understands that students’ learning should not be hindered by bureaucracy—teachers and schools should be held accountable for poor performance. However, instead of improving said bureaucracy, she would rather leave it in the dust and turn the reigns over to "educational" organizations whose teachers are sometimes not even required to be licensed.

	As the Washington Post writes:

	"DeVos isn’t an educator, or an education leader. She’s not an expert in pedagogy or curriculum or school governance. In fact, she has no relevant credentials or experience for a job setting standards and guiding dollars for the nation’s public schools."

	Ms. DeVos is not what our students need. I urge you to vote against her nomination so that we can change the direction of our nation’s education system for the better.