Here's Why People Are Asking Betsy DeVos Her Confirmation Questions on Twitter
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President-elect Donald Trump's controversial pick for secretary of education faces her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday but people on Twitter also have their own confirmation questions for Betsy DeVos.
The 59-year-old billionaire has a reputation for supporting school vouchers and moving public money toward privately run schools. The Michigan-native, also, reportedly sent her own children to private schools, rather than public.
People on Twitter used the hashtag #Questions4Betsy to ask questions which focused on criticizing DeVos' record with public education and protesting her nomination.
Some tweets pointed to her record with Detroit, Michigan, schools and other public schools in the state.
Despite DeVos' push for more charter schools, Politico reported that Michigan is behind other states in education, especially the state's charter schools.
"Despite two decades of charter-school growth, the state’s overall academic progress has failed to keep pace with other states: Michigan ranks near the bottom for fourth- and eighth-grade math and fourth-grade reading on a nationally representative test, nicknamed the 'Nation’s Report Card,'” Politico reported in December. "Notably, the state’s charter schools scored worse on that test than their traditional public-school counterparts, according to an analysis of federal data."
Other tweets accused her of paying for her appointment.
Since 1989, DeVos and her family have given at least $20 million to Republican candidates and Republican committees and fundraising groups at the federal level, according to the Center for Public Integrity's Open Secrets. They've also given millions of dollars on the state level. However, Open Secrets reported that none of DeVos' money went to Trump or his super PACs in 2016.
In 1997, DeVos addressed backlash about her family's political spending in Roll Call.
"I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence," she told Roll Call. "Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return. We expect to foster a conservative governing philosophy consisting of limited government and respect for traditional American virtues."
DeVos' confirmation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. EST after it was delayed from its initially scheduled date of Jan. 11.
