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Sen. Warren Troubled By Trump Pick For Education Secretary

BOSTON (WWJ/AP) - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she's troubled by the record of Donald Trump's pick for education secretary.

The Massachusetts Democrat said Betsy DeVos' advocacy for school choice and charter schools amounts to support for policies that would drain taxpayer dollars from public schools to "unaccountable private and for-profit operators."

In a letter to DeVos on Monday, Warren also faulted what she called DeVos' "paper-thin record on higher education and student debt."

Warren said the next education secretary must continue to help students struggling with student debt and protect them from for-profit colleges offering worthless degrees and mountains of debt.

Trump has called DeVos "a brilliant and passionate education advocate."

The billionaire and former Michigan Republican Party chair DeVos is a leading proponent of charter schools and vouchers, has made clear her stand on Common Core State Standards stating on her website; "Certainly. I am not a supporter—period."

Married to Richard DeVos Jr., the son of Richard DeVos, a co-founder in Amway, she has limited experience with public education. Her children attended private schools — and she is on the board of the Great Lakes Education Project, a pro-charter school lobbying group.

The National Education Association has said 'school of choice' does nothing to help those who remain in the public school system.

Warren is a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will hold a hearing on DeVos' nomination Wednesday.

 

 

 
(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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