It was disheartening to learn that U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, in a recent Congressional hearing, referred to East Hartford High School as a “dangerous daycare.” And this comment was not made after a personal visit, but by quoting as a secondhand source a former student.

Afterward, as often occurs in the current administration, a spokesperson for the DOE had to walk back DeVos’ statement, explaining that what she was really talking about was the need for more school choice. 

There is a legitimate argument to be made for options for parents, particularly those of children trapped in failing schools. What makes DeVos’ remark contemptible is her dismissive assessment of a school about which she knows nothing except via hearsay. Moreover, as secretary of education, DeVos oversees a vast national complex, over 90 percent of whose students attend public schools, yet the disfavor with which she seems to view the entire system is apparent and alarming. 

On May 30, the East Hartford public school community held a rally, attended by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Congressman John Larson, and others, to protest the secretary’s comments. Annie Levine, president of the East Hartford Education Association, said: “You walk into our classrooms and see very dedicated professionals and students, (DeVos) should be our biggest supporter.” 

Students and faculty have invited DeVos to visit.

Anne Carr Bingham

Salem