Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx is definitely one of the most seasoned politicians in Congress. Voted into office for her seventh term by her constituents in North Carolina, the 73-year-old congresswoman has been picked as the chairperson of the House's Education Committee. She begins her term in 2017.
Observers say that Rep. Virginia Foxx could undo the legacy that President Barack Obama established, especially when it comes to Higher Education. She has already made statements about doing big changes in the policies that were established during the Obama administration in relation to for-profit colleges. She is honest in saying that she didn't think the previous administration had a concrete college agenda.
She is also behind incoming President Donald Trump's campaign plan to do away with the Department of Education and cut cost. "We need to look at the functions of the Education Department and see are there things that can be done at the state and local level that are now being done at the federal level," Rep. Virginia Foxx told Inside Higher Ed.
Congratulations to @virginiafoxx on being named chair of @EdWorkforce for the 115th Congress. We are fortunate to have her leadership.
— PT_US_Congress (@PT_US_Congress) December 1, 2016
Her pronouncements have unnerved and worried civil organizations. Defunding could affect many minorities that rely on the Department of Education's programs. But despite her strong stance against Obama's policies and what the Department of Education has done so far, the representative is loved and well-respected among her peers.
"She reminds you of the toughest teacher you had," Indiana Rep. Luke Messer said, according to Politico. "When she taps the chalkboard and says time to listen, everybody stops."
Even Democrat California Rep. George Miller has good words about the seasoned politician though they belong to different parties and thus have differences in views. He believes that the House Education chair has good intentions. Some say, however, that Rep. Virginia Foxx has an outdated view of how the world works today.
Do you think Rep. Virginia Foxx could affect real change in Education that could benefit American students? Sound off in the comments below!
