Heidi Alexander: “Democratic Senators are searching for a valid reason to oppose the President's nomination of Betsy DeVos to be U.S.…”

“Democratic Senators are searching for a valid reason to oppose the President's nomination of Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Education Secretary because they really don't want Americans to know what their real reason is. Here is the real reason: Betsy DeVos has spent the last 30 years--actually more than 30 years--being dedicated to helping low-income children in America have more of the same choices of schools that wealthy Americans already have. Specifically, the Democrats object to the fact that Betsy DeVos supports the idea of tax dollars following low-income children to the school that their parents may choose--public, private, or religious. This is not a new or subversive idea. Let us go back to 1944, the GI bill for veterans. The Congress enacted probably the most successful piece of social legislation ever enacted when it passed the GI bill for veterans. As a result, veterans came home from World War II and Federal tax dollars followed them to the accredited college or university of their choice. They could go to Notre Dame. They could go the University of Arizona. They could go to Nashville Auto Diesel College, the University of Tennessee. It did not matter. It was their choice. That is when Americans experience with education vouchers began.…”