Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday tried to walk back her suggestion that historically black colleges were the product of a “school choice” movement rather than legalized segregation and Jim Crow laws.
“Your history was born not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the Civil War,” DeVos tweeted. “HBCUs remain at the forefront of opening doors that had previously been closed to so many.”
Honored to join HBCU presidents and support their work to educate and inspire tomorrow’s leaders: https://t.co/Ht0PA5SHrC
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
#HBCUs are such an important piece of the fabric of American history—one that encompasses some of our nation’s greatest citizens.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
Providing an alternative option to students denied the right to attend a quality school is the legacy of #HBCUs.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
But your history was born not out of mere choice, but out of necessity, in the face of racism, and in the aftermath of the Civil War.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
#HBCUs remain at the forefront of opening doors that had previously been closed to so many.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
We need more good schools. We need more good teachers. And no child should be denied the opportunity to enter a great school. Not one.
— Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED) February 28, 2017
On Monday night, DeVos released a statement calling historically black colleges “real pioneers when it comes to school choice.”
“They started from the fact that there were too many students in America who did not have equal access to education,” she said. “Their success has shown that more options help students flourish.”
Many historically black colleges were founded because black students were legally barred from attending segregated white schools, rather than from any organized push to provide “more options” for black students during an era of Jim Crow laws and legalized segregation.
DeVos’ statement drew sharp criticism from several Democratic senators.
