May 13, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Warren pledges to name a former public school teacher as education secretary

Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

2020 Democratic candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren pledged Monday to name a former public school teacher as secretary of Education if elected president, blasting President Trump's pick Betsy DeVos as "the worst secretary of education we've seen."

"I’ll just be blunt: Betsy DeVos is the worst secretary of education we’ve seen. She and her team are up to their eyeballs in conflicts of interest. Instead of championing our students, they protect for-profit colleges that break the law and cheat them. ... Let's get a person with real teaching experience. A person who understands how low pay, tattered textbooks, and crumbling classrooms hurt students and educators. A person who understands the crushing burden of student debt..."
— Warren wrote to her supporters in an email

Why it matters: Warren's promise comes the same day she's meeting with teachers in Philadelphia for an American Federation of Teachers town hall. Warren is part of a lineup featuring a number of 2020 Democrats who are all vying for the organization's 1.7-million-member endorsement. DeVos, a charter school and school choice supporter, has been sharply criticized by some education special interest groups and pro-public school organizations.

Go deeper: Elizabeth Warren's $640 billion student debt proposal

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