Trump Admin “Civil War” Bleeds Into the U.S. Department of Education

Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss and President Donald Trump at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, FL

We’ve written about the troubling staff being assembled at the U.S. Department of Education before. Both Jenni White and Erin Tuttle have written pieces here at TAE about the U.S. Department of Education being made in former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s image (maybe we should just refer to him as the Shadow Secretary of Education from now on.)

Betsy DeVos’ appointment as Secretary of Education was seen as a “Jeb-like pick” as well, and she has made some head-scratching comments about Common Core as it relates to the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The only bright spot regarding staff at the U.S. Department of Education is when New Mexico Education Secretary Hanna Skandera’s appointment was nixed.

Incidentally Bush will give the keynote address at American Federation for Children’s annual summit next month. Betsy DeVos founded and funded AFC, and she has since resigned from the board after being appointed Secretary of Education.

Instead of draining the swamp it seems one swamp has been exchanged for another at the Department – exchanging educrats who oppose school choice with those who support it. Both groups have little desire to limit and reduce the federal role in education.

Politico reported last week that a “civil war” is raging between the GOP establishment and Trump loyalists and that war has bled into the Department.

At the Department of Education, meanwhile, staffers are chattering about last week’s resignation of Jerry Ward, who previously ran Trump’s Alaska campaign. Trump supporters have grumbled about Secretary Betsy DeVos’ decision to hire employees who are aligned with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a fierce Trump critic. Ward declined to comment.

At the Department, if there is a Civil War, I think it is safe to say the President’s loyalists are not winning.