Betsy DeVos is Trump's new pick for Education Secretary, and it has become a very controversial nomination. Trump has shown time and time again that he nominates the most unqualified people to hold important positions (like his Attorney General, U.N. Ambassador, and head of the Environmental Protection Agency), and this is proof of yet another. DeVos, a conservative billionaire from Michigan, is said to "end public education as we know it", showing a history in supporting more religious and private schools over public schools. She also has expressed a softer opinion on the separation of church and state and supports policies and foundations that push for the privatization of public schools. "Betsy is not against public schools [...] She does believe that teachers in charter and private schools are much more likely to lead the way toward better education" (said by Arlyn Lanting, a businessman, investor, and philanthropist). As a future educator in the public education system, I hope to not see this woman and her radical beliefs push to change public education for the worse, making it more difficult for the middle and lower classes to earn a good education.

1. She doesn't understand the difference between proficiency and growth (a huge debate in the education community)

In the education system, proficiency and growth is very different. Proficiency is how often a student is performing successfully, growth is when the student improves their knowledge and success in a course or subject. When asked where she stood on the debate, DeVos asked for clarification on what the two actually meant. During her confirmation hearing, Al Franken explained: "with proficiency, teachers ignore the kids at the top who are not going to fall below proficiency, and they ignore the kid at the bottom who, no matter what they do, will never get to proficiency. It surprises me you don't know this issue". How can someone who has no idea the difference improve an education so based of proficiency?

2. Has little regard for for student with disabilities

DeVos does not know what the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is, and when it was brought up, she claimed to be "confused" as to what it really was. She said she believed that states should decide what they want to do with federal funding when it comes to meeting requirements of the IDEA. When discussed more, she was asked what would happen if one state was putting in more effort for students with disabilities than other states? She said again that it's an issue left to be resolved by the states. While continuing to talk around the issue and avoid a true answer, she never said she agreed with needing to meet the requirements (even though it is a federal law).

3. Wants to make schools "God's Kingdom"

For years and years, DeVos and her husband have been active in financially providing for religious private schools and both believe that "more and more churches will get more and more active and engaged in education". Between the years of 1999 and 2014, the DeVos' have donated $100 million dollars, more than half going to private Christian schools. The couple's financial history only adds to the controversy of her nomination -- will she serve for all American people and students? Or just private Christian schools that she believes to be "actually preparing students for our current times and move us away from standardization and testing"?

4. Has little knowledge of student loans or financial aid

When it comes to any kind of actual experience in K-12 public schools or any running any higher education programs (or even participating in one), DeVos has proven to have none. Elizabeth Warren questioned DeVos on financial aid and student loans, now that higher education will be one of her new responsibilities, and if she has ever had the experience managing a multi-million dollar program, participating in one, or even taking out a student loan for herself or her children.

5. Supporter of prevention of oversight in charter schools

Within the $100 million the DeVos poured into charities and organizations, they also spent $1.45 million in an effort to stop regulation and oversight of charter schools in Michigan. About 80% of charter schools are run by private organizations, making regulations of these schools more difficult. This has become a concern because they can fail to operate or improve without being evaluated or closed down. This lack of oversight has also been thought to impact low-income students or students of color, not getting the support and help they need putting them more at-risk of failure or dropping out. This unconcern shown by DeVos is only another alarming and terrifying characteristic: she has no plan to help these kinds of students in these types of situations.

DeVos has shown her conservative and strong beliefs toward religion, private and charter schools, students with disabilities, and even gun control. Her go to decision maker seems to be "let's leave that for the states to decide". She is unreliable, unprepared, and extremely unqualified. Look at these ways you can protest -- we can't let her ruin public education for the millions of students counting on her.