Betsy DeVos Under Fire for Saying Black Colleges Were the ‘Real Pioneers’ of School Choice

Education Secretary Whitewashes History of Segregation That Led to Establishment of Historically Black Colleges

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is under fire for whitewashing history and ignoring the racism and segregation that led to the establishment of America’s historically Black colleges, while comparing them to today’s charter schools. In a statement DeVos claimed these schools of higher education were created simply because Black people wanted more choices, just like parents who prefer the voucher systems that fuel the mostly private charter schools for which she has been a decades-long advocate.

In fact, historically Black colleges were not created as additional choices, for most people of color they were the only choice. Black people were not allowed to attend colleges and universities that white people attended – information that, coincidentally, is freely available of the Dept. of Education website.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), DeVos said, after meeting with leaders from those institutions, “are real pioneers when it comes to school choice. 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.”

DeVos framed their inception by saying not a word about racism, but saying they “started from the fact that there were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education. They saw that the system wasn’t working, that there was an absence of opportunity, so they took it upon themselves to provide the solution.”

On Twitter, many were furious:

Over the weekend in an exceptionally partisan speech at CPAC DeVos mocked food-insecure children by bragging she was the first person to ever tell Bernie Sanders “to his face that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” For many children, school lunches are the only meals they can count on. She also told attendees that President Barack Obama’s transgender guidance that reflects the law was “huge overreach.”

UPDATE: 3:23 PM EST –

 

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Hat tip: The Hill