So the election is over (or is at least supposed to be over…) Who will Biden pick for secretary of education? Of course, teachers are most interested in Besty Devos’s replacement. In this episode, we discuss the possible replacements for her seat. Sharyn shares a little history lesson on the Department of Education and Biden’s education platform.

Pick One of Us, Please!

Biden has pledged to choose a public education teacher to fill the Secretary of Education position. We discuss names of who might Biden pick for Secretary of Education candidates. There are currently two top contenders. First is Randi Weingarten. She is a former high school history teacher. Today you’ll find her president of one of the biggest labor unions, the AFL-CIO.

The second name in the discussion is Lily Eskelsen Garcia (Who we have affectionately nicknamed L.E.G.). L.E.G, actually started as the school lunch lady and then an elementary school teacher. She is now currently president of the National Education Association (NEA). Both are pro-union, anti-voucher, and are big fans of public education. This is a big swing in the opposite direction. DeVos wanted vouchers, and pushed to redirect federal monies to fund charter and private schools. 

Wait & See

Of course, a lot can change between now and January 20th. We’ll have to wait and see who ultimately gets the privilege of working to improve education in the United States. It’s a fact, there’s a great deal of work to be done on so many education fronts. From as helping to rebuild unsafe school buildings to working to avoid a teacher shortage, the Secretary of Education will surely have a long, uphill road to walk.

Let’s hope that whoever fills Mrs.DeVos’s shoes is not wearing some red-soled Louboutin heels but rather a good pair of sturdy work boots. Anything that will help to get a L.E.G. up, or a Weingarten or a Jahana Hayes or Denise Juneau or…