Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urged career staffers at the Department of Education to “resist” the incoming Biden administration when they take over next month.
Politico obtained an audio of the department-wide virtual meeting where DeVos made the comments.
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She noted that most of the agency’s career employees “will be here through the coming transition and beyond.”
“Let me leave you with this plea: Resist,” DeVos said . “Be the resistance against forces that will derail you from doing what’s right for students. In everything you do, please put students first — always.”
DeVos listed her overhaul of Title IX rules governing sexual assault, and misconduct in schools and colleges as one of her major accomplishments during her time as Education secretary.
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She said that her goal “in everything we accomplished was to do what’s right for students,” adding that “four years later it’s still my focus and it’s still my hope for all of you,” according to Politico.
DeVos is one of the very few Trump cabinet officials who served the entire four years. During her tenure, she battled with agency staff over reorganizations and workplace policies such as teleworking rules. She came under fire for pushing for schools to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic and for being a strong advocate for private schools entrusted with overseeing the nation’s public schools.
