SPLC Action: Education Secretary Nominee Offers Chance to Rebuild Public Education System after Years of Neglect

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced his nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona, Connecticut Education Commissioner, to serve as secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. SPLC Action Regional Policy Analyst Katherine Dunn issued the following statement in response: 

“President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona to lead the U.S. Department of Education is welcome news for students and public school advocates across the country. It provides hope for the future of public education and the millions of children and families who depend on it. The nation’s public education system was systematically weakened during the Trump years, and this pick offers an overdue chance to start repairing the damage. 

“With two decades of experience as a public school educator, first as a classroom teacher and then a principal before becoming Connecticut’s education commissioner last year, Dr. Cardona’s leadership will be a sharp, much-needed change from the past four years.

“Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was unqualified for her position from the start, and will be remembered for her ongoing efforts to weaken public schools across the country while pushing a sharply ideological and reactionary agenda. During her tenure, DeVos pushed to divert federal money to fund private education, hurt valued community schools run by locally-elected officials, weakened civil rights protections for students, and made it easier for for-profit universities to offer substandard education at inflated prices without consequence. 

“As the new administration takes shape, we look forward to a renewed commitment by the Department of Education to ensure all students have equal access to a high-quality education free from discrimination both during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Having served as the co-chairperson of the Connecticut Legislative Achievement Gap Task Force, Dr. Cardona already understands the educational divide many of America’s children face. The pandemic has shown just how much work needs to be done to close opportunity gaps, including the digital divide, for students of all backgrounds. 

“When students do return to full-time in-person learning, we must ensure that schools offer supportive, restorative environments, and not punitive ones. We also urge the new administration to support best practices, including models that engage families and leverage federal resources and the resources of local community partners to provide the services students need to thrive. 

“We look forward to working with a new administration that puts students and educators first, is committed to the future of public education, and will work to ensure there is a school in every community where all children can thrive.”