The New Secretary of Education Should Actually Listen to Students, Unlike DeVos
Donald Trump is not the only one who will be leaving the federal government in January. To the immense relief of many students and educators, the tenure of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will also be coming to an end. DeVos drew harsh criticism in the role for her staunch defense of charter and private schooling and vocal opposition to teachers’ unions. Though President-elect Joe Biden has not yet named his pick for Secretary of Education, many students, teachers, and education policy experts are hopeful that a Biden presidency will allow for a more progressive education policy that champions their rights.
At the moment, one of the biggest debates in education is whether or not campuses should reopen during the pandemic. The Trump administration has demanded that schools fully reopen irrespective of COVID-19 rates, budget constraints, and before there could be a proper assessment of the risk of community transmission, and DeVos has stated publicly that she does not see tracking the virus’s impact in schools as the Education Department’s responsibility. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign has promised emergency federal relief funding and assistance for schools to address the effects of the pandemic, a move that is in line with many student activists’ demands.
“Betsy DeVos has done an immeasurable amount of damage during her time as secretary of education, but the thing that stands out the most to me was her complete and utter lack of leadership or presence as students grappled with schooling during a global pandemic,” Claire Gelillo, a high school student and the communications coordinator with Student Voice, told Teen Vogue. “So many young people have suffered as a result of that.”
Gelillo and other activists at Student Voice have created a 100 Days plan for the Biden administration to shape the new federal Department of Education in a way that benefits students across the country. Their demands include involving students directly in the selection of the new secretary and under secretaries of education, staffing the Department of Education with people who understand and respect the public education system, and explicitly prioritizing racial and social justice in all education decisions made under the Biden administration.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/education-secretary-joe-biden-betsy-de-vos
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The new Secretary of Education "should know something about EDUCATION!!!!!!" 
