Betsy DeVos Wins Historic, Tie-Breaking Senate Vote to Become Education Secretary

DeVos2

Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos won a historically close Senate vote Tuesday to become secretary of the United States Department of Education (ED), despite opposition from teachers’ unions, Democrats civil rights groups and parents.

As expected, the Senate was evenly split at 50-50, with all 48 Democrats voting against DeVos and two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, joining their ranks in the vote. However, after a 24-hour talk-a-thon, Democratic senators could not convince one Republican to change his or her vote away from “yes.” At approximately 12:40 p.m. ET, Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic tie-breaking vote, making the vote 51-50 and confirming President Donald Trump’s controversial pick for the cabinet post.

It was the first time in American history that a tie-breaking vote was needed to confirm a president’s cabinet nomination.

DeVos, 59, is former head of the American Federation for Children, which supports school vouchers, private education and other forms of school choice. She never attended public school and never sent her children there. She is also a major GOP donor, conceding during hearings that her family may have contributed about $200 million to Republican politicians.

DeVos has faced impassioned criticism for her lack of public school experience, her extensive financial investments, and her shaky performance during confirmation hearings last month. She appeared unfamiliar with key education issues, said states and local districts should decide whether to have guns in schools, and did not seem to know that there was a federal law covering students with disabilities. Also, the Washington Post and other media outlets reported that she appeared to have plagiarized from a former Obama administration official written answers that she submitted to senators.

In education technology, one potential conflict of interest is DeVos’ decision to maintain her multi-million-dollar investment in Neurocore, a Michigan-based biofeedback company that aims to help children with ADHD, autism, depression and other afflictions do better in school.

However, DeVos did have the support of key Republicans, including Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN), who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP), as well as Republican senators and the vice president.

DeVos may have a tough road ahead as secretary of Education. “She would start her job with no credibility inside the agency she is supposed to lead,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said during the 24-hour talk-a-thon preceding Tuesday’s vote. “With no influence in Congress. As the punchline in a late night comedy show — and without the confidence of the American people.”

The power of the ED secretary has also been diminished, thanks to the year-old Every Student Succeeds Act, which has put limitations on the department’s ability to redirect funds or change academic standards at the state level.

About the Author

Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Abstract AI circuit board pattern

    Nonprofit LawZero to Work Toward Safer, Truthful AI

    Turing Award-winning AI researcher Yoshua Bengio has launched LawZero, a nonprofit aimed at developing AI systems that prioritize safety and truthfulness over autonomy.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Survey: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    A recent Intel-commissioned report identifies a significant shift in AI adoption, moving away from the cloud and closer to the user. Businesses are increasingly turning to the specialized hardware of AI PCs, the survey found, recognizing their potential not just for productivity gains, but for revolutionizing IT efficiency, fortifying data security, and delivering a compelling return on investment by bringing AI capabilities directly to the edge.

  • magnifying glass with AI icon in the center

    Google Releases Learning-Themed AI Mode Features for Search

    Ahead of back-to-school season, Google has introduced new AI Mode features in Search, including image and PDF queries on desktop, a Canvas tool for planning, real-time help with Search Live, and Lens integration in Chrome.

  • sunlit classroom with laptops on every desk, each displaying a glowing AI speech bubble icon above the screen

    Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot to Become Available for Teen Students

    This summer, Microsoft is expanding availability of its Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot products for students aged 13 and older. Administrators will be able to grant access for students based on their institution's plans and preferences, the company announced in a blog post.