Protesters gather outside Jefferson Middle School in Washington on Friday. | AP Photo
Protesters block DeVos from entering D.C. middle school
Protesters physically blocked Betsy DeVos from entering a public middle school in Washington, D.C. Friday, though the newly confirmed Education secretary eventually made it into the building.
Video from WJLA shows that protesters forced DeVos away from a back entrance to Jefferson Academy in Southwest D.C., where she was scheduled to meet with teachers and parents, joined by new D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Antwan Wilson.
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One person in the video was heard yelling, “Shame!” to DeVos as she was escorted into an SUV by her security detail.
DeVos eventually made it into the school. The president of a local community organization tweeted a photo of DeVos inside a school hallway.
DeVos’ visit to the school on her third day as Education secretary was closed to reporters. A department spokesperson told POLITICO on Thursday that this decision was made to create “minimum disruption of the school day.”
A group of several dozen parents and former teachers organized by the Washington Teachers Union held what appeared to be a separate demonstration — which they called a “vigil” — in front of the school. They held signs supporting public education. Elizabeth Davis, the union’s president, said that teachers were concerned that DeVos would seek to use the nation’s capital as an “experiment” for advancing school vouchers and other policies that they believe undermine public schools.
The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, said on Twitter that DeVos should not be discouraged from visiting public schools.
"Just heard a protester blocked & almost knocked Secy @BetsyDeVos down at Jefferson," the union president tweeted. "We don't condone such acts. We want her to go to pub schls".