President Trump, meanwhile, is planning to repurpose $20 billion from the federal education budget to expand voucher programs. Even though low-income families could benefit from this “school choice” proposal, the institutions on the receiving end would be private or affiliated with a religion. The proposal will likely hit some roadblocks, though, since it has to get approved by Congress and it’s not certain that states are going to be interested in such grants.
Still, there could be major consequences if it does go through. David E. Kirkland, an English and Urban Education professor at New York University, says DeVos and Trump could promote educational policies that support “alternative facts” and “fund programs aimed at discrediting longstanding scientific knowledge and traditions.”
The situation is magnified when you consider Trump also recently tapped Jerry Falwell Jr. to lead a task force that will suggest higher education reforms. He’s the president of Liberty University, one of the country’s most vocal Christians and a young Earth creationist. According to The Washington Post, faculty members at Liberty University take pride “in teaching evolution alongside biblical creationism.” Sure, that doesn’t mean DeVos and Falwell Jr. will enforce these views under the new administration, but it could raise their profile and reignite the debate over how things like intelligent design are presented.
Kirkland says that if DeVos sees STEM education as promoting a liberal agenda, she (along with Falwell Jr.) could use the Department of Education to defund programs designed to educate students about topics such as global warming, climate change and pollution. Despite the influence of religion on her political views, though, a member of Trump’s transition team recently told Mother Jones that DeVos does believe “in the legal doctrine of the separation of church and state.”
Jerry Falwell Jr. at the Republican National Convention. (Getty Images)
Senators like Al Franken, who voted against DeVos, will try their best to ensure that this separation indeed exists and STEM education remains a priority for Trump’s team. “I’ve written legislation into law to strengthen STEM education and have continuously worked to ensure that our students are prepared for 21st century jobs,” he told Engadget. “Secretary DeVos, on the other hand, has a long history of dangerously anti-science views and has deep connections with anti-science organizations.”
Franken said he plans to hold DeVos accountable during her tenure, not just in her STEM efforts, but other areas as well. DeVos said during her first speech as Secretary of Education that she believes people should be more open to views other than their own, an advice that Democrats hope she follows herself. “We believe students deserve learning environments that foster innovation and curiosity, and are also free from harm,” she said.
DeVos added that she’s committed to working with all parties on the end goal: To always put students first. But that’s easier said than done, and we won’t know if that will actually be the case until she sets forth a clear strategy for educators and students.
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