There has also been mixed reaction in Arizona following the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the secretary of Education on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaker vote in the U.S. Senate. Democrats had decried her lack of experience in public education and advocacy for school choice.
Arizona has been a trailblazer in the school choice and charter-school movement for decades now, and many here are happy to see DeVos in charge. And we’re joined now by Eileen Sigmund, president of the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Sigmund discusses her reaction to this confirmation.
Teachers also are having mixed reactions to the new secretary of Education. We’re joined now by Joshua Buckley, vice president of the Mesa Education Association and a government teacher at Red Mountain High School in Mesa to talk more about this. Buckley talks about how teachers responding to this.