Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was supposed to meet with students and teachers at Jefferson Academy, a public middle school in Southwest Washington, D.C., on Friday. Instead, protesters blocked her from entering the building.
Sec. DeVos physically blocked by protesters from entering DC school–turned away and left. Unclear if she attempted another door. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/buNgmOJbya
— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) February 10, 2017
One protester in DeVos’ way held a Black Lives Matter sign while simultaneously blocking DeVos from meeting teachers and students at a 94-percent black school.
(You know who else stood in a schoolhouse door to block someone from getting in? George Wallace.)
The protest was organized by the Washington Teachers Union, whose head called it “more a vigil than a protest.” It’s not clear if the union supported those who blocked DeVos or not.
In a refreshing turn of events, though, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten condemned the protesters that blocked DeVos from entering the building.
Just heard a protester blocked & almost knocked Secy @BetsyDeVos down at Jefferson.We don’t condone such acts.We want her to go to pub schls
— Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) February 10, 2017
Weingarten said her union doesn’t condone that, and that they want DeVos to visit public schools.
After a grueling nomination process, even that minor show of support is probably appreciated by DeVos.
Jason Russell is the contributors editor for the Washington Examiner.
