In visit to UW-Oshkosh, former Education Secretary Betsy Devos says she would shut down the Department of Education
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OSHKOSH – Former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos told a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh audience she would return to work in the Department of Education only if tasked with "shutting it down."
Devos, who served as the 11th secretary of education from 2017 to 2021 under former President Donald Trump, spoke Tuesday night during an event presented by the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership about the future of education.
Devos, who has been a long-time advocate for school choice and private charter schools, said she doesn't think the department she led should exist in part because it has spent trillions of dollars to close achievement gaps between groups of U.S. students and has failed to achieve that goal.
"There's a lot of resources that are wasted ... and come with regulatory mandates that are in many cases antithetical to the kids they are supposed to be serving," Devos said.
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Devos spoke along with Marquette University scholar Howard Fuller, who previously served as superintendent for Milwaukee Public Schools and became an advocate for educational reform, especially for voucher programs for poorer families. Fuller also founded a public charter school in Milwaukee named for him.
The discussion touched on a range of topics including school choice, issues of free speech on campuses and legislation affecting what kids are taught in schools.
When Devos was asked by the moderator, Gerard Randall, about her successes as education secretary, she said the department redirected its focus to better serve students and cut red tape.
"We were able to eliminate a lot of regulatory overhang that was unnecessary that usurped the role of states and local bodies that hindered students," Devos said.
Her time as education secretary was viewed by many as controversial and her appearance at UW-Oshkosh frustrated the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, which advocates for public schools.
Devos 'undermined the American promise,' critic says
AFT-Wisconsin President Kim Kohlhaas said in a press release issued earlier Tuesday that Devos had a "troubling history of opposing public education" in the U.S.
"She sought to reduce funding for public education while pushing lawmakers to spend more on unaccountable private schools, all of which would have undermined the historic American promise of a common school system for every child," Kohlhaas said.
Jon Shelton, associate professor at UW-Green Bay and vice president of higher education for AFT-Wisconsin, said Devos "opposed equality for many different groups of students."
In 2018, Devos rolled back guidance from the Obama administration on discipline of students, a move some activists claimed would harm students of color, and in 2017 she rescinded guidance that allowed transgender students to use the bathroom or locker room that matched their gender identity.
Additionally, Devos changed Title IX regulations in a way that gave more protection to students accused of sexual assault. Some supporters said change for the rules was overdue, while others worried it would make it harder for survivors of sexual assault to come forward with their allegations.
Shelton said those were just some reasons those in attendance at the Oshkosh event, especially students, "should understand the full context of her tenure as education secretary.”
Peggy Breister, UW-Oshkosh's chief communications officer, said the school was not contacted by any groups speaking out against the appearance.
Jean Erdman, a retired professor from UW-Oshkosh and an Oshkosh resident, was out in the parking lot of the Culver Family Welcome Center where the event was held, holding a sign reading "we support public schools."
Erdman said she there because she believes Devos' support of school choice programs "stole money" from public schools.
"This is not choice," Erdman said. "This is legal theft from public education."
Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: At UW-Oshkosh ex-Education Secretary Devos slams education department
