Optimism on Betsy DeVos as U.S. education secretary

In response to a recent letter to the editor: It must be difficult to carry so much pessimism and doom around day after day. It is as though liberals, in general, always need some issue to fight before considering the benefits that may come about with change or any departure from the socialist narrative or status quo.

So, on to the optimist side of the Betsy DeVos’ appointment: She is a strong supporter of charter schools and vouchers; this does not mean that bulldozers are coming to knock down Manatee High. Under a voucher system, a child could become a Sugarcane or MH football player if he or she lived outside the MH district.

For those parents who dream of a strong private school environment for their children but can’t afford it, a charter school may be the answer; school pride and spirit is the same whether at a public, charter or private school. In part, competition between public, private and charter schools may help raise educational standards.

Additionally, the greater the number of choices, the smaller classroom sizes could become, giving teachers more time to help individual students. As parents concerned about our children’s future, we should applaud any change that helps our children and our educational system.

Last the biggest opponent to charter schools is the teachers union, an organization that has never put students or their parents first. Rather they are a dues-collecting machine that protects those very few poor teachers against the will of parents and school boards. So before the American leftist movement take another Prozac to make it through the day, let’s see what proposals Betsy DeVos puts forward.

This story was originally published February 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Optimism on Betsy DeVos as U.S. education secretary."