KY’s Teacher Of The Year Snubs WH Event To Protest School Choice Policies

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 28: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testifies during a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee discussing proposed budget estimates and just... WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 28: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testifies during a Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee discussing proposed budget estimates and justification for FY2020 for the Education Department on March 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s teacher of the year has skipped a White House ceremony to protest the Trump administration’s support of school choice policies.

Jessica Dueñas told the Courier Journal that she feels like the Trump administration is “clearly attacking public education,” so she decided not the attend Monday’s ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos attended the event and recognized the national teacher of the year. DeVos is a supporter of charter schools and private school vouchers. President Donald Trump did not attend.

Dueñas said she wanted to highlight the need to fully fund public schools.

She won teacher of the year in Kentucky for her work as a special educator in Oldham County. She’s currently a teacher in Jefferson County.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for dont dont says:

    Bravo.

  2. Bravo, it’s great to see her taking a principled stand. I wish a lot more respected public figures would do so.

  3. “President Donald Trump did not attend”
    Trump might be the president who skipped the most events. Why?

  4. That Executive Time is demanding.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

32 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for valgalky23 Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for daveminnj Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for robb_ludwig Avatar for globalguy Avatar for enon Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for dont Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for darcy Avatar for mrf Avatar for schmed Avatar for dogolaca Avatar for corncaucus2008 Avatar for dgsantafe Avatar for maximus Avatar for speneka Avatar for arawak Avatar for haddockbranzini Avatar for lal2911 Avatar for enceladus Avatar for ANNFFL

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: