This Is the One Time I Actually Do Want to Hear From Betsy Devos

Mar 19, 2020 12:00:00 AM

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In the past few days, I have received countless correspondence from every online vendor I have ever purchased anything from—the gym, doctor’s office, restaurants, stores. Each one of them taking the time to tell me, their customer, what their plan is for safety and the closures associated with the coronavirus. Each message explained when they will be closing and supports they will have available to the community and offered reassurance that we are all in this together. 

This is not something I ever expected from those businesses, but I do expect this from my government and, more specifically, the U.S. Department of Education. 

Please correct me if I am wrong—because this is a time I want to be wrong. But where is the U.S. Department of Education and the Secretary of Education during all of this?

Has Secretary DeVos made a statement to the public that I missed? I do not expect the Department of Education to have all of the answers or even a solution—I just want them to say something

We are experiencing unprecedented school (public, private, charter, college and university) closings. As of March 17th, 38 states have decided to close public schools. Almost every state has at least one school district impacted by this, or like mine, every school district in the state is closed. Schools in Kansas will remain closed for the rest of the school year, and there is some indication that several other states will soon follow.

Despite this, we have heard little from the U.S. Department of Education. Sure, they have posted some high-level resources on their website, and there have been press releases. But what you may not know is that the Senate Democrats had to demand a coronavirus plan from Secretary DeVos to get even this much.

Where is Secretary DeVos when we need her most? She offered no official statement, message, press briefing or even a tweet reassuring the American public that the U.S Department of Education is working to support U.S. schools—until late last week after the U.S. Senate put on the pressure.

https://twitter.com/BetsyDeVosED/status/1238212419488485376

Did I miss a link with resources for families and schools to help them support children at home academically? Is there guidance for seniors hoping to graduate in a few months? 

Regardless, on the first and most certainly not the last day of the quarantine in Maryland, teachers, administrators and schools were busy doing everything they could for their students and communities. 

  • Educators were sharing on social media ways to help overwhelmed parents as best they can from afar. 
https://twitter.com/esanzi/status/1239666689719050241

Most importantly, those in education are doing what they always do and will always continue to do: No matter what happens, they will be there for their students and their families. I wish I could say the same about Secretary DeVos.

Educators will always shoulder what is troubling the nation, especially for the students in their schools. This burden might not weigh as heavily on them if they had the support of the U.S. Secretary of Education.

Kara Ball

Kara Ball is the 2018 Department of Defense Education Activity Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year finalist. She works as the Elementary Science/ STEM Education Specialist in Maryland.

Kara believes students should have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding through real-world experiences that brings learning to life. Every lesson she teaches is embedded with 21st Century skills that provide students opportunities to communicate their beliefs and ideas giving them a voice in their education.

She is a Silver Spring, Maryland native. Former Montgomery County Public School teacher where she was the recipient of the Shirley J. Lowrie “Thank you for Teaching” award that recognizes exemplary elementary educators. She comes from a family of teachers and service workers. Kara credits her grandmother, Alice Ball, for inspiring her from a young age to become an educator. She earned her bachelor’s in science degree in elementary education and special education from Towson University, earned a master’s of education with a specialization in curriculum, instruction, and assessment from Walden University. Kara is currently working on her Ph.D. in learning, instruction and innovation.

Kara was recognized as one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year program and was recognized by the U.S. President, U.S. Secretary of Education, and U.S. Secretary of Labor at a White House education panel event as an acclaimed leader in STEM education. She continues to travel the world discussing the importance of early access to STEM education and advocating for all children to have an opportunity to experience STEM at the elementary level.

Kara is an accomplished and award-winning National Board-Certified Teaching in Early Childhood Education. She is also recognized as one of the best science and math educators in the nation as a 2016 finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship finalist as well.

Her goal as an educator is to inspire students to think critically about the world around them and develop an understanding of the potential positive impacts they could have on the world they live in, or as she says “invent to learn!”

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