DeVos sparks controversy with comments on black colleges

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/betsy-devos-hbcu-historically-black-colleges-235498

*sigh*

President Donald Trump’s efforts to bolster relations with historically black colleges erupted in controversy Tuesday after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos released a statement equating the history of the schools — founded during an era of racial segregation — to “school choice” policies.

“HBCUs are real pioneers when it comes to school choice,” DeVos said in the statement, released Monday night in advance of Trump’s planned signing of an executive order giving the schools more clout. “They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality. Their success has shown that more options help students flourish.”

The executive order, which Trump is scheduled to issue Tuesday afternoon, was supposed be an easy bit of outreach on the final day of Black History Month to the black community that soundly rejected Trump on Election Day. It is expected to move a federal initiative focused on the colleges from the Education Department to the White House and set an aspirational goal for government spending at the schools.

But the goodwill was quickly overshadowed by DeVos’ statement, which came on the heels of a Monday meeting between Trump and presidents of the schools that left some dissatisfied. Some experts on historically black institutions panned the statement as ignorant, while others said she was inadvertently praising segregation.

Idiot

[elleng]

1. 'set an aspirational goal for government spending at the schools?'

[Starry Messenger]

2. Doesn't look like that is happening.

DeVos also seemed to reject one thing the schools are really hoping to get from the administration: More money. One school president told POLITICO that the colleges had asked the White House to back a $25 billion investment in infrastructure improvements on their campuses in their meeting with DeVos Monday. They also advocated for year-round Pell grants and to maintain or increase funding that goes to schools that serve low-income students.

“Rather than focus solely on funding, we must be willing to make the tangible, structural reforms that will allow students to reach their full potential,” DeVos said in her statement.

[Turbineguy]

3. Never miss a chance

to show your profound ignorance and nonexistent qualifications.

[ladym55]

4. Charlie Pierce had a good piece on this today

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a53509/betsy-devos-black-colleges/

He has a great description of ol' Bets: "DeVos, whose ongoing search for a clue about education is going to keep us busy for a while,"

I spend so much time these days with my mouth hanging open in shock (They said WHAT? They did WHAT?). DeVos is a charmless combination of complete ignorance and white privilege.