Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Devos Confirmation

I was listening to portions of the confirmation hearing and was very disappointed nobody brought up the topic of Gifted Education. Irrespective if you support her or not I would expect somebody in the democratic or republican side to at least ask her about it as education secretary.

It there any way to get through to someone?

There was a somewhat similar discussion recently: DeVos on gifted ed.

I agree that it is disappointing that support for gifted education is not being discussed while vetting DeVos, and specifically find that disappointment rests with the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), and its State affiliates, as these are thought to be our legislative advocates.

As far as a way to get through to someone, that would usually be to contact one's State senators especially if they are members of the Health, Education, etc Committee.

In addition to contacting one's Senators, it may be worthwhile to contact NAGC, and your State affiliate organization.

Also disappointing was that although Michelle Obama credited a gifted program with altering the course of her life, as First Lady she was not an outspoken proponent of gifted education.

This was the gist of Sen. Franken's queries to Mrs. DeVos, regarding the distinction between "growth" versus the more benchmarking-oriented approach known as "proficiency." Franken specifically mentioned gifted learners, though using softer terminology.

We tend to discuss the perils of educational settings with an over-enthusiasm for the latter quite regularly here. They tend to be quite toxic for gifted learners.

There were also statements which are troubling for families with 2e children, who may be facing Faustian choices if they must seek private educational settings without the rights provided by public schools under IDEA.

My 2E DD12 wasn't able to fall asleep until 2 am because she is so concerned about Friday's inauguration. "I'm not so much scared about Friday - I'm scared about what happens after." She is especially concerned about the videos she has seen of him mocking the disabled reporter. And although we have not discussed it she has clearly heard some of what went on with Devos' testimony. "What about kids like me with learning disabilities? I just can't go back to regular public school..."

We are in unchartered waters and I truly don't know what to tell her.

She is clearly clueless, doesn't even understand the questions that are asked of her. I doubt she knows anything about either gifted education or special education. The focus is on how to turn education into a big business, under the guise of "parent choice".

Exactly.

Surely there are some qualified people out there, but her money and ties to business got her the nod.

I also could not agree more. Actually educating people is likely not even on her list of priorities (low or otherwise).

Holykarma, Thanks for the reference. I listened to the clip. But I got the impression. that Sen Franklin was just interested in grandstanding than actually trying to address the issue. I guess that is what they are all doing.

You're welcome. I can't tell you how much force my molars have had to withstand in order to write anything remotely neutral regarding this particular cabinet nominee.

In light of my experiences as a parent with an HG+ child in a virtual charter school, and the daughter of a dedicated career educator, I find this nomination abhorrent in every way.

We have endured the kind of "choice" that she is apparently championing. It's what got my daughter 32 hours of scheduled instruction the year that she took second year German in high school. Oh-- and about 15 hours of instructional support of any kind the year that she took AP Statistics. Yes, I said "year."

We worked around it because we literally had no other realistic options if we wanted credentialing-- but I'll be the first to say that our solution space likely could not exist for most families in the first place, and it was one that was fast-closing even for us-- leading us to an additional acceleration in high school simply to get DD out sooner. Yes, it was that bad after the Pearson acquisition. {ahem}

I'd go so far as to say that typical online education via so-called virtual charter schools which are for-profit money making MACHINES is near-fraudulent. Most such entities promise the moon knowing full well that they can't deliver, have student-teacher ratios of at least 100 to 1, and also want state regulators off their backs so that they can do as they please without any oversight. Minimal to zero transparency is the rule rather than the exception, I'm sorry to say.

One only need look at Michigan's dismal record with school choice outcomes-- and Mrs. Devos' input into that situation-- to see how this particular road map is no way to educate children, at least not as national policy. Sure, in some narrow circumstances, it makes sense, but those situations surely require more oversight, not less?

It likely comes as no shock to learn that I am vehemently opposed to anyone that thinks that there is wiggle room to consider alternatives to enforcement of Title IX, either, and yes-- she said that too, in her confirmation hearing.

It may well just be a dog and pony show, the confirmation hearings-- it is certainly the case that the opposition party has no power to stop the confirmation since they lack a majority in either house-- but for the nominee to be so ill-prepared is a fairly ominous sign even so.

Nope. Not a fan of Mrs. DeVos for this cabinet post. At all.

Is it just me or does this appointee's ideas of vouchers, charters and private schools not really go with the rest of the MAGA "brand". I'm talking about this idea of returning to "how things used to be".

Do charter schools pay for football teams? Because if they don't, that whole middle red part of the country is not likely to be on board.

I would think someone like Mike Rowe would fit better with the "brand". He is a TV personality, has a social media following, and has an interest in education but not government or education experience.