Betsy DeVos unfortunately was sworn in this evening as secretary of education, a post she is grossly unqualified for. The Senate vote was 51-50, despite valiant efforts from Democrats and two female Republican senators and countless calls, emails, and tweets to senators urging them to reject her nomination.
Now it's time to mitigate the danger on the local, state, and federal levels. On the local level - get involved. Ask public school teachers what kinds of support will be most helpful. Join the PTA. Volunteer at your local school. Attend school board meetings. Consider running for the school board.
Express support for public education publicly via social media and letters to the editor. Let your positive progressive voice be heard. Counter arguments for vouchers and "school choice." These terms are often code for taking funding away from public schools and public schools need all the funding they can get.
Also stay on top of your state's board of education. These bodies make important decisions that impact students such as which textbooks to buy. Make sure textbooks are accurate, intellectually challenging, and inclusive. Who controls the narratives, history, science, and civics our children read about is important. Minorities and women have often been left out of these texts in the past. Also be wary of conservative attempts to devalue science, particularly evolution.
Stay informed about state and national legislation regarding education. Praise good decisions that further sound educational policy and decry bad decisions that harm students.
In a word #persist.
Democrats are pulling another allnighter as I write this, trying to persuade their Republican colleagues that Sen. Jeff Sessions is not fit to be attorney general. One of those senators, Elizabeth Warren, was officially SILENCED earlier tonight for attempting to read out loud a letter Coretta Scott King wrote in 1986 against Jeff Sessions' nomination for a federal judgeship. He was denied that seat and should be denied the AG spot for the same reasons - animosity toward the rights of minorities and women.
Tomorrow will be another busy day. Senators need to hear from us. Whether they will listen is up to them but I think it is important they see and hear that we will not back down after a defeat. We will keep speaking out against unqualified cabinet nominees. I will be calling my less-than-responsive senators in Texas, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Will you?
No comments:
Post a Comment