Hundreds of Calvin Alumni Oppose DeVos Nomination | Sojourners

Hundreds of Calvin Alumni Oppose DeVos Nomination

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More than 700 students and alumni from Betsy DeVos' alma matter, Calvin College, signed a letter opposing her nomination as U.S secretary of education. 

As reported by The Chimes, Calvin College's official newspaper, the letter was drafted by alumna Sarah Moslener on Jan. 21. and circulated to multiple students and alumnin the same day.  

Generations of alumni have signed the letter in direct opposition to new administration's education pick. 

The letter stated

We are writing to share our concerns about Mrs. DeVos as nominee for Secretary of Education. There are several reasons why we believe she is not qualified for the position.

While many of us were inspired by our time at Calvin College to make education a professional commitment, Mrs. DeVos was not. She has never worked in any educational institution as an administrator, nor as an educator. If the position of the Secretary of Education requires the individual to have an intimate knowledge of the tools used by educators, which we believe it does, Mrs. DeVos does not qualify.

We believe that Mrs. DeVos’s commitment to education is limited to her advocacy of and financial contributions to religious and charter schools. Having the financial resources to promote one’s ideological point of view and endorse elected officials who share that ideology is not equivalent to the preparation that comes from being an educator or educational administrator.

DeVos' confirmation hearing is set for this week.