Betsy DeVos’ voucher plan illustrates how out of touch she is with public education

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today joined Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Bradley Byrne in unveiling a new plan to expand vouchers. Congress soundly rejected a similar proposal during 2017 tax debate.

The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Lily Eskelsen García:

“Betsy DeVos doesn’t understand that as a country we have a responsibility to provide a great neighborhood public school for every student and that improving our public schools requires investing in them – not taking away resources. This latest attempt to push an agenda that is academically ineffective, fiscally irresponsible and that funds discrimination at the expense of student opportunity illustrates how out of touch she is with what works.

“The voucher proposal peddled by Betsy DeVos will divert already scarce funding away from neighborhood public schools – where 90 percent of children go – and give it away to private schools, which are not accountable to taxpayers.

“If we really are serious about improving public education, we need to ensure students have modern textbooks, art and music courses, nurses and counselors, and class sizes small enough for one on one attention. Vouchers take this away from public schools.

“Congress needs to do what is right and again reject the voucher scheme that Betsy DeVos is proposing.”