Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote yesterday to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. It is clear that DeVos has, at best, contempt for the public education system and, at worst, outright hostility.
Even more worrying for North Carolinians, DeVos was supported in her bid for education secretary by UNC-system President Margaret Spellings.
Spellings’ endorsement is worrying as it signals a willingness to work with a Trump administration that is outwardly hostile to marginalized students. DeVos and her family have donated millions of dollars in support to GOP and anti-LGBTQ causes. On face, DeVos and the Trump administration are antithetical to the values of UNC.
On a more systemic level, Spellings’ support of DeVos indicates that public education as we know it is in jeopardy. The exact people tasked with expanding educational opportunities to ensure greater opportunities within society are openly contemptuous of public education. Supporting DeVos sets a worrying precedent for the future openness and diversity of the UNC system and public education in general.
Vladimir Lenin once remarked, “There are decades where nothing happens — and there are weeks where decades happen.” Our fear is that the weeks ahead will unleash decades, reversing the strides made to ensure more equitable access to education.
