This past week, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education under President Donald Trump. Betsy DeVos owes her new position almost entirely to the money that her family has contributed to various GOP senators, and she admits it. She has never attended public school, has never sent her children to public school, and she wants to further cut budgets for public schooling in the United States.
I went to public school all throughout grade school and high school, and I now attend a public college. I could not be more grateful for the opportunities that public schooling has given me, and I would hate to see children all around the country being subjected to less-than-adequate education because an unqualified woman with a big wallet doesn't see the value in public schools.
I am currently studying political science with a second major of global studies on my horizon. I plan to go to law school and become a human rights lawyer. I want to work for the United Nations. I would not be anywhere near where I am today without my public school education.
I was fortunate enough to live in an area with an excellent public school system. The education I got from these public school was cohesive, valuable, and rewarding. I had amazing teachers with true passion and devotion in providing the best possible educational opportunities for their students. And, while Betsy DeVos thinks that they are being payed too much, I think that the lifetime worth of knowledge and wisdom they exposed me to is absolutely priceless.
Betsy DeVos plans to cut government budgets for public schools. This means fewer resources, fewer educators, and overall worse-off students. What public schools actually need is more funding to provide better and more effective learning opportunities for students. Money could go toward new books, more field trips, more advanced technology, and more resources for teachers and administrators. My experience in the public education system is and always has been absolutely wonderful, but it can only get better from here.
I want all children to grow up with the same educational opportunities that I did. I am where I am because of public schooling. I feel so lucky to have been exposed to the experiences and opportunities that I have, and I can only hope for better for future generations of children. We're raising the future of our country and it's in everyone's best interest to provide them with the best educational experience possible. Betsy DeVos is trying to tear apart the public education system, but I think that it's one of the most valuable features that the United States has.
