Student loan and school vouchers are the main concern of the citizens of the United States if and when Donald Trump's Department of Education Secretary pick Betsy DeVos will be confirmed. Due to the skepticisms over her appointment, a former education secretary gives DeVos an advice regarding the post.
The confirmation hearing of DeVos is set on Tuesday and it is expected that she will be facing tough questions regarding the department she will be handling. Many have reacted negatively against DeVos as she has made it clear that she, together with the Trump administration, might just dismantle the public school system and push for private schools and the use of school voucher.
In a report by Forbes, DeVos was described as a former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party. She initially supported Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio during the primary of the Republican Party.
In addition, DeVos is a strong proponent of charter schools and school vouchers and it is believed that she wants to privatize the education market. Many of the people and groups opposing her believe that she is not fit for the job because she was never an educator or directed a state department of education, has never attended a public school or had children who attended the public school system.
More on the student loan concern, DeVos might be questioned as to what the government plans to do about it. Trump proposed during his campaign that the payment of student loans could be based on the income of the one who has thousands of debt. It remained unclear if DeVos will be a proponent for this. DeVos might also be asked regarding the plan of New York governor Andrew Cuomo regarding free college tuition to those who belong to the low-income and middle-income families.
As for the advice of a former education secretary, NPR reported Margaret Spellings, who was under the George W. Bush administration, said that there should be transparency in order to achieve equity. She also believed the Department of Education should not be abolished instead, the new administration has to focus on the neediest students.
What do you think about the future of student loans and school voucher programs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
