What would you say to Betsy DeVos?

While scrolling through Twitter, I came across a tweet from Education Votes that showcases what public school teachers would like to say to Betsy DeVos, our education secretary under the Trump administration. Basically she is promoting several proposals and policies that will greatly reduce funding to public schools and increase funding to voucher and charter schools. The Tweet starts off with "We received many responses: earnest, heartfelt, informative, hopeful, caring, and, yes, angry" Here is the article to copy and paste into your browser:

http://educationvotes.nea.org/2017/07/28/educators-choice-words-devos/

I am a product of public school and a public school teacher. In my opinion, I cannot see where we can afford to lose any more funding. We are already doing more with less and cannot afford to do even more with less. Many public school students need a place where they can be fed, listened to, instructed, and be safe. I truly believe that every child has a right to a quality education in a place that accepts them as they are. Children's futures should not be put at more risk by taking away what is needed to help children to grow into life long learners and productive members of society.

Although I am a public school teacher, I send my daughter to a private school. As a parent, my child is most important to me and at this time in her life, I feel that the school she goes to is the best place for her to be. This of course could change and so we take it one year at a time. The concept of a public school teacher sending their child to a private school may not make sense to some but I am not alone in my decision. In a 2016 article from Education Next, the authors Paul Peterson and Samuel Barrows report: "It is true that 87% of school teachers (and 85% of the public as a whole) have placed at least one of their children in a traditional public school. However, 25% of the public and 29% of school teachers have used an alternative for at least one of their children for some period of time."

Why is this you might wonder. Does this mean that many teachers do not believe in the public education system? Does this mean that some teachers will not stand up and push to have legislation passed that benefits public schools? Does this mean that many teachers think the system is broken? Many teachers have reasons for sending their child to private school and it is a personal decision that families should be allowed to make. I do not believe more government money should be given to the private school system because if parents want to and can afford to send their students to private school, then they are responsible for the cost.

I found two different points of view online that I would like to share. The first one is a from a family that could afford private school but send their children to public school

https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2014/09/25/confessions-of-a-six-figure-father-why-id-never-send-my-kids-to-private-school/3/#1edce76777a6

and the other point of view comes from a public school teacher that sends his child to private school. https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/03/why-im-a-public-school-teacher-but-a-private-school-parent/386797/

What is your opinion on all of this? Do you think DeVos is a danger to our public school system? Do you believe in government funding to private and/or charter school? Are you a public school teacher that sends their child to a private school? How do you feel about teachers not using the public education system for their children?

Please leave a comment below and let's start the conversation!