Watch Elizabeth Warren’s searing put-down of Betsy DeVos while answering question from nine-year-old trans boy
Elizabeth Warren responded to a nine-year-old trans boy’s question at the CNN Equality Town Hall meeting. (Screen capture via CNN)
Policies were stated and promises made, but Democratic US presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren also garnered applause from a packed CNN Equality Town Hall meeting when she answered a question from a 9-year-old trans boy.
The Massachusetts senator, between clarifying her extensive LGBT+ rights plans and absolutely scorching homophobes, found time to put secretary of education Betsy DeVos in her place.
“My name’s Jacob, and I’m a 9-year-old transgender American,” the child said.
“All right, Jacob!” Warren said, applauding.
Elizabeth Warren wants to ensure trans kids and teens feel safe in school.
I will have a Secretary of Education who believes in public education, who believes in the value of every single one of our kids, and who will enforce our civil rights laws. #EqualityTownHall pic.twitter.com/KngSqm3Flo
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 11, 2019
Jacob asked Warren what she would do in her first week as president to ensure trans kids “feel safer in schools”.
He clarified that the only thing he wants trans kids to worry about is their homework.
“Let me start by saying I want to have a secretary of education that who both believes in public education and believes in the value of every one of our kids and is willing to enforce our civil rights laws,” Warren said.
“We’ve had some secretaries of education who’ve been better, and we’ve had one that’s been a whole lot worse. Her name is Betsy DeVos.
“So, when I’m president, she’ll be gone.”
Warren also offered Jacob a job – helping the potential president vet out secretary of education candidates.
“I want to make sure that the person I think is the right secretary of education meets you and and hears your story, and then I want you to tell me if you think that’s the right person and then we’ll make the deal,” Warren added.
Jacob gave a thumbs-up as a show of approval.
“Betsy DeVos is not doing her job,” say activists.
President Donald Trump’s education pick has a family-wide track record of supporting anti-LGBT+ causes and movements, and her appointment in 2017 made many civil rights groups nervous.
Worries soon turned into actions as the DeVos-helmed education department rescinded multiple Obama-era policies that protected LGBT+ young people.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has an anti-LGBT record (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Such as rescinding a guidance document for schools that denying a trans student’s access to bathrooms of their gender identity was a violation of the law. To the Trump administration, was an overreach.
Moreover data released this year showed that the administration is less likely to investigate cases of LGBT+ students who experience discrimination at school. The cases are stalling under DeVos, the data suggested.
“These data really show that Betsy DeVos is not doing her job,” said Frank Bewkes, one of the report’s authors.
“Her office just doesn’t seem to care about enforcing civil rights for these students.”
