Betsy DeVos was asked whether U.S. schools are teaching kids to be socialists. Her answer was rich.

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Betsy DeVos was asked whether U.S. schools are teaching kids to be socialists. Her answer was rich.

By Valerie Strauss
October 17 at 12:31 PM

Here’s the quick version of what happened: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said in an interview that she believes many young people support socialism because they don’t get sufficient government and civics education and are not permitted to “discuss and debate those ideas freely” on college campuses. Schools, then, are to blame.

Here’s the detailed version about the back-and-forth that related to an August Gallup poll, which reported the following:

Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults' positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively. Meanwhile, young people’s views of socialism have fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but the 51% with a positive view today is the same as in 2010.

-snip-

Despite the wording in the poll, more Americans of that age group are positive about socialism than capitalism.

In any case, DeVos was asked about this idea by Robert Bluey, vice president of publishing for the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing nonprofit think tank based in Washington, and editor in chief of the Daily Signal, Heritage’s news organization, during an interview for the Daily Signal Podcast.

-snip-

And this is what DeVos said in response:

Well, I think it’s really a combination of things. I think number one, students aren’t getting the kind of foundation in civics and government that I recall getting as a student in K-12 education. And they’re coming then into higher education without the background to even know and understand competing ideas, and then without the ability to discuss and debate them. I recall visiting a classroom not to long ago where one of teachers was wearing a shirt that said “Find Your Truth,” suggesting that, of course, truth is a very fungible and mutable thing instead of focusing on the fact that there is objective truth and part of learning is actually pursuing that truth. So, roll it back, there is a very important need for students to know the foundations of our country and the ideas around which our country was formed. And to then have the ability to discuss and debate those ideas freely on their K-12 campuses and on their higher-ed campuses.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/10/17/betsy-devos-was-asked-whether-us-schools-are-teaching-kids-be-socialists-her-answer-was-rich/

[TygrBright]

1. Just when I'm thinking NO ONE could be more ignorant than [Redacted], DeVos speaks up. n/t

[SCantiGOP]

2. Will she please

Give this “reality is objective” speech to Giuliani, who told us that”truth isn’t truth” a month or so ago before he disappeared.

(Rudy hasn’t been seen going into the Saudi Embassy lately, has he?”

[vlyons]

3. That's right Betsy, we should teach "objective truth" except

for climate change, the effects of trickle-down economics, evolution, civil rights for gays, etc.

[3Hotdogs]

4. Kellyanne 'splained it for us. There are alternate facts.