Former mayor Anthony Williams, co-chair of our city’s cross sector collaboration task force, recently recorded a video in support of President Trump’s nominee for education secretary, Betsy DeVos. The video was made on behalf of charter, private school voucher and school choice interest group American Federation for Children.

Although she has never been educated in public schools, has no experience working in them, and did not choose to send her children to them, DeVos has labelled all public schools as failures and advocated using public education money to fund vouchers for private schools as well as charter schools.

If you think that former mayor Anthony Williams cannot fairly represent the interests of our DC public schools after declaring his support for private school vouchers, please call DC’s current mayor, Muriel Bowser, at 202-727-2643, and let her know.

To be sure, you may believe, like DC’s newly elected state board of education member Ashley Carter, that DeVos is a “breath of fresh air” for public education!

OK–but you might want to follow your (tax) money a little more closely.

Check out this exchange that Senator Tim Kaine had with DeVos the other week, during her U.S. Senate confirmation hearing:

Kaine: “If confirmed, will you insist upon equal accountability in any K-12 school or educational program that receives taxpayer funding whether public, public charter or private?”

DeVos: “I support accountability.”

Kaine: “Equal accountability?”

DeVos: “I support accountability.”

Kaine: “Is that a yes or a no?”

DeVos: “I support accountability.”

Kaine: “Do you not want to answer my question?”

DeVos: “I support accountability.”

Kaine: “Let me ask you this. I think all schools that receive taxpayer funding should be equally accountable. Do you agree?”

DeVos: “Well they don’t, they are not today.”

Kaine: “Well, I think they should. Do you agree with me?”

DeVos: “Well, no.”