You should be worried about President-Elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees. From Rex Tillerson to Betsy DeVos to Jeff Sessions to Ben Carson, be afraid.
And if you're talking about Betsy DeVos—be very afraid.
Tim Kaine came out to be one of the heroes of the confirmation hearing.
Time Kaine tested her point of view and knowledge of federal education legislation. DeVos failed to answer Tim Kaine's question when he asked her if all schools should be held responsible for upholding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), saying that states should decide whether schools are supposed to meet special education requirements. Kaine later pressed, "'so some kids might be good to kids with disabilities, and other states may not be so good...?"
DeVos later said she may have "confused" IDEA as a state rather than a federal civil rights law.
When repeatedly asked if all schools receiving taxpayer funding should be held accountable to the same performance standards, she repeatedly said, "I support accountability," failing to answer a simple "yes or no" question.
DeVos also refused to promise that she would not move to defund public schools or guarantee the protection of Title IX rights for sexual assault victims.
Public schools are at the heart of the American education system. They are essential to the healthy growth of our nation, putting kids on a path to education and a better life ahead of them. Public schools help keep kids at risk for violence away from it for a few hours in a day. Public education provided me with mentors and teachers that would become my second family, pushing me through my hardest times. This isn't just about education- this is about the safety and well-being of our nation's children, for now and for the future.
Donald Trump's administration, if all his nominees are confirmed, will be scary. Scott Pruitt, the nominee for head of the Environmental Protection agency, went back on his previous words during his own hearing, claiming that the environment is indeed changing. Pruitt is otherwise known to have denied climate change in the past, calling it a hoax. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson would be the only doctor to serve as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Jeff Sessions would have to go back on his previous track record to maintain the office of Attorney General.
Only time will tell if Trump's cabinet picks will remain intact after his inauguration.
