Garza Encourages U.S. Senate to Confirm DeVos as Secretary

Garza Encourages U.S. Senate to Confirm DeVos as Secretary 

(Washington, D.C.) – Today The LIBRE Initiative released an open letter to members of the United States Senate, encouraging them to support the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as Secretary of Education. The text of the letter is below:

To Members of the United States Senate: 

Latinos represent about one-quarter of all public school students, and have a median age that is ten years younger than the nation as a whole. Perhaps more than any other minority community, Latinos are deeply interested in the quality of our nation’s schools.

Sadly, too many Latino families across the country find no alternative but to send their children to failing and underperforming public schools. While many states have begun to adopt and implement school choice plans, many others have not acted. With significant tax burdens and limited incomes, families are unable to send their kids to institutions where they would be better prepared for today’s competitive marketplace, and empowered to build their own American Dream. Millions of public school teachers continue to labor in a system that can be unresponsive to their needs, and to the interests of the students they have dedicated their lives to instructing and serving.

Policies that expand school choice programs both encourage schools to improve, and at the same time give families a more immediate opportunity to escape chronically failing schools. And what makes school choice even more appealing to Hispanic families in particular is the fact that it can help close the achievement gap — a recent national study found charter schools to be particularly beneficial compared to traditional public schools with minority, economically disadvantaged, and English-learning students. This is why we support Betsy DeVos to serve as Secretary of Education. A long-time supporter of educational choice and pro-student reforms, if confirmed by the Senate Betsy DeVos has indicated her willingness to work with governors and state lawmakers to expand these options to families. The thousands of staff, volunteers, and activists of The LIBRE Initiative across the nation encourage you to support her candidacy.

Sincerely,

Daniel Garza
President, The LIBRE Initiative 

For Interviews with a representative from The LIBRE Initiative, please contact Brian Faughnan, 202-805-1581 or Wadi Gaitan, 202-853-4463

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