Betsy DeVos would undermine public education and opportunity for our nation's children

As her testimony before the U.S. Senate revealed, she lacks a basic understanding of current education concepts and policy issues. Bizarrely, she appeared to not even understand that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires public schools to accommodate children with disabilities.

Throughout her career, instead of supporting public education, she has successfully advocated for the diversion of public dollars to private schools, with no accountability or oversight. She does not support accountability for charter schools that receive public funds.

In addition, foundations with whom she is associated have supported groups that attack the LGBTQ community, including organizations that support conversion therapy, an abusive practice that we have discredited in court and that has been rejected by all major medical and psychological associations.

As secretary of education, Ms. DeVos would undermine public education and opportunity for our nation’s children. The Southern Poverty Law Center opposes her nomination.