Betsy DeVos Is Fabricating History to Sell a Bad Education Policy

I was a bit upset that the article didn't talk much about DeVos's plans before I realized that it was written as a knee-jerk reaction. As much as I hate what DeVos has come to represent, I actually mostly agreed with what she said in her speech. And it's largely because she is echoing what just about every educator says about education; they want to be able to set students up for success. Vocational training is just one way to do it.

I actually feel like I just read a different speech than the one the author did because I didn't read anything that made me believe that she was advocating a "vocational track" that denies a rigorous education. I thought she was advocating for more education. What she is more precisely advocating for is public-private partnerships for education. And while I strongly disagree with the privatization of public education, I do think that vocational training in addition to general education is a good thing.

In spite of some terrible ideas she holds, DeVos genuinely cares about educating students and making sure that they can succeed in life. And let's be fair, not all of her ideas are completely terrible. Judge them for yourself. Take a look at this section of her speech for an example:

One important lesson from Switzerland is that business and community leaders don’t ask for approval from government to partner with educators. They identify needs and proactively take steps to address the needs of their communities and their lifelong learners.

You don’t need a permission slip, either. And many communities are already figuring this out. Let me share a couple of examples.

Penta Career Center in Perrysburg, Ohio. The name for the Center comes from the five different counties and 16 districts it partners with to prepare students for regional business needs. Students can graduate with a high school diploma and several certificates in a wide-variety of work-based learning opportunities.

They aren’t limited by location or building – they are given the freedom to grow, explore, and learn in ways that work for them.

I think also of dual-enrollment efforts, like the one at Lorenzo Walker Tech, in Naples, Florida. Students there can earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree simultaneously through partnership with Florida Southwestern State College. A great head-start toward successful careers.

At Harper College outside Chicago, I was impressed by the non-traditional apprenticeships, like ones in banking, insurance, and supply-chain management. These kinds of apprenticeships are common in other parts of the world, but aren’t yet here. They need to be.

Then there’s Mercedes and BFGoodrich which partner with Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to offer students excellent opportunities to upskill in their current profession or start a new one. Employers and educators working hand-in-hand to develop stronger community – in every sense of the word.