ICYMI Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos discussed school choice, deregulation and guns in a wide-ranging interview with Lesley Stahl for 60 Minutes. https://t.co/Hag9wz6Dq1 pic.twitter.com/xRdBIICsQ0
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 12, 2018
A new interview with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on 60 minutes has many in the education world, as well those outside of it calling out the secretary for her almost surreal answers.
In the above clip, the interview’s most viral moment occurs when Lesley Stahl presses DeVos to talk about education outcomes in her home state of Michigan, before eventually asking her if she has personally visited under-performing schools. Her response? “I have not intentionally visited schools that are under-performing”.
“Maybe you should” – Lesley Stahl.
Here are some of the best takes on the 60 minutes interview on twitter:
There were the funny takes:
I thought that Betsy DeVos interview was an episode of Drunk History but turns out she’s the Secretary of Education
— Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) March 12, 2018
Maybe she was just caught off guard by the hard-hitting questions.
MAGA people are rushing to defend Betsy DeVos, who was ambushed by unfair gotcha questions like “Have you ever been in a cafeteria” and “What do you think schools do”
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) March 12, 2018
Erika Sanzi noted that it’s possible to support school choice initiatives while pointing out that the secretary was doing a bad job of advocating for them.
We can support families having choices abt where to send their children to school & also believe that @BetsyDeVosED was woefully unprepared for her #60Minutes interview and also, apparently, for her job as Ed Sec. Families desperate for options deserve better. @laurenonthehill
— Erika Sanzi (@esanzi) March 12, 2018
Senator Kamala Harris didn’t find it very funny.
Betsy Devos is clearly unqualified to be in charge of such an important responsibility — the future of our kids. She should not be in this job. https://t.co/dRJVaoCxLq
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 12, 2018
Representative Ted Lieu also took issue with DeVos’ inability to give adequate answers.
Betsy DeVos wasn't asked what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow. She was asked basic questions about education and had trouble answering them.
Also, saying that we shouldn't invest in school buildings is stupid. Dilapidated & unsafe buildings affect learning. https://t.co/4FQVHYVn73
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 12, 2018
Kristen Clarke, like many others noted that it really seems like Betsy DeVos doesnt know much about public education at all.
The fate of over 50+ million public school students lies in the hands of Betsy DeVos who confesses that she does not visit underperforming schools. Her inability to answer very basic questions makes clear she knows virtually nothing about public education. https://t.co/UhPLFn7EU2
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) March 12, 2018
But, maybe we should be digging beyond the memes of DeVos incompetence to note her real role in the Trump administration.
Describing Betsy DeVos as incompetent misses the larger reality that her purpose is to undo the civil rights movement as far as education is concerned, just as Carson is at HUD to undo the movement in housing & Sessions is doing likewise in the justice dept
— Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) March 12, 2018
Betsy DeVos’ answers in the 60 minutes interview continue a pattern of ineptitude when it comes to answering what seem to be simple questions. On the plus side, maybe she’ll check out some under-performing schools now?