Republican lawmakers propose bill to squash Dept. of Education amid confirmation of new Sec. of Education

buzzz worthy. . .

Betsy Devos, a billionaire school choice advocate from Michigan is the new Secretary of Education.  After  Devos was confirmed on Tuesday the GOP agenda on education became abundantly clear. Rep. Thomas Massie (R - KY) proposed a bill that would abolish the Department of Education by the end of 2018. This speculative move gives the appearance that the team of House Republicans who co-authored the bill were awaiting the official power shift to execute their preconceived plan. The timing could not be more suspicious.

The Department of Education (DOE) was established in 1980 with the expressed purpose of bringing attention to national education issues and ensuring equal access in schools. H.R. 899 would place educational concerns and related legislation on the state and local levels. This potentially mammoth shift is essentially the equivalent of Civil Rights being localized.
 
Out of all of Pres. Donald Trump's cabinet pick, Devos was one of the most highly contested, controversial selectees.  She narrowly won the nominations with  Vice Pres. Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote. Claims of inexperience, special business interests and the propensity toward merging church and state sounded the alarm for many of her detractors during the confirmation hearing. 


If the bill passes, would the job of Secretary of Education be abolished along with The Department?  Perhaps, but not necessarily. Devos was sworn in to serve as head of the DOE.  It would stand to reason that if The Department does not exist, neither will her job.  However, it also stands to reason that Devos would not be completely out of the picture when the vast majority of the Republican establishment supported her confirmation. Devos is an avid supporter of charter schools, which are largely self-regulated. Her input could still be useful. During the hearing Devo sad she would not dismantle the public education system.

Co-sponsors of the bill include Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), and Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID). Devos is an avid supporter of charter schools, which are largely self-regulated.

Massie also co-wrote a bill to get rid of the Environmental Protection Agency.

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