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Read five memorable moments from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' '60 Minutes' interview

Source: USA Today
March 12, 2018 at 19:56
Critics say the interview shows the Education secretary can't answer simple questions about public education. USA TODAY

 

60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl has a lot of questions.

But does Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have the answers?

Stahl interviewed DeVos on Sunday night, challenging her on a number of topics and leading to critiques of DeVos' knowledge of the U.S. education landscape.

On helping students who attend schools that aren't doing well

DeVos: "Well, we should be funding and investing in students, not in school-- school buildings, not in institutions, not in systems."

Stahl: "Okay. But what about the kids who are back at the school that's not working? What about those kids?"

DeVos: "Well, in places where there have been- where there is- a lot of choice that's been introduced- Florida, for example, the- studies show that when there's a large number of students that opt to go to a different school or different schools, the traditional public schools actually- the results get better, as well."

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks to the news during a press conference held at the Heron Bay Marriott about her visit to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on March 7, 2018 in Coral Springs, Fla. (Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty Images)

On schools in Michigan

Stahl: "Have the public schools in Michigan gotten better?"

DeVos: "I don't know. Overall, I- I can't say overall that they have all gotten better."

On visiting schools that aren't doing well

Stahl: "Have you seen the really bad schools? Maybe try to figure out what they're doing?"

DeVos: "I have not- I have not- I have not intentionally visited schools that are underperforming."

Stahl: "Maybe you should."

DeVos: "Maybe I should. Yes."

On allowing colleges to require more evidence from sexual assault accusers

Stahl: "Are you in any way, do you think, suggesting that the number of false accusations are as high as the number of actual rapes or assaults?"

DeVos: "Well, one sexual assault is one too many, and one falsely accused individual is one too many."

Stahl: "Yeah, but are they the same?"

DeVos: "I don't know. I don't know. But I'm committed to a process that's fair for everyone involved."

The interview led to some criticism about DeVos' performance, with many asserting that DeVos struggled to answer the most basic of questions.

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