Trump Education Secretary DeVos visits Orlando community college

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos highlighted the importance of effective community college programs at Valencia College in Kissimmee on Friday.

After touring the campus and meeting students and faculty, DeVos called the school “a great example of an affordable path to higher education” whose “story needs to be told more broadly.”

“Community colleges are a tremendous option and a tremendous on ramp for many students,” she said, "and we need to do a much better job of highlighting the important work they do across this country to help students achieve their goals and abilities."

Valencia is known for its effective job training programs and state-of-the-art facilities.

DeVos is not the first politician to visit the highly reputed campus. President Barack Obama stopped by in 2014, and U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made an appearance in January.

DeVos, who has familial ties to Florida, visited a Catholic school in Orlando earlier this month with President Donald Trump to highlight Florida’s voucher programs.

During Friday’s visit, her first solo excursion as education secretary, DeVos was fairly quiet. She mostly listened to manufacturing, construction and dual enrollment students talk about their experiences and recommendations for how to improve the country’s education system.

“My experience has been life-changing,” Valencia graduate Keyanna Fountain, 24, told the secretary. Fountain was unhappy “pushing papers every day” at her previous employment as a deputy clerk and said she’d found the perfect career fit at Valencia assembling hardware.

“I do it as a hobby, but getting paid for it is a bonus,” she said. “I actually really love what I do. I can’t stop saying that. I love what I do.”

Dual enrollment

Among the dual enrollment students were two aspiring doctors who said the program has helped shorten the vast education path that lay ahead.

Dual enrollment gives high school students opportunities to take college courses.

DeVos said she found the visit to be “interesting and informative” and told the students she was impressed by their ambition.

“Know that you will have one education secretary cheering you on,” she said.

Trump's cuts defended 

In a brief Q&A with reporters following round-table discussions, DeVos defended President Donald Trump’s proposed $9 billion cut to the country’s education budget.

“The president’s budget is investing in education that works and education that will actually help advance students, so stay tuned,” she said.

DeVos and Trump have yet to convince much of the country to back the proposed budget, which includes massive cuts to programs that aid low-income students and provides increases to charter schools and school choice programs.

Protesters criticize DeVos

A group of seven protesters stood outside the building where DeVos was meeting students. The protesters held signs that read: “Unqualified and dangerous, Betsy DeVos dismisses the needs of low income students” and “DeVostating to public schools.”

The Michigan billionaire has been widely criticized for her role in expanding charter schools and voucher programs at the expense of public schools, as well as for her lack of experience working in schools.

One protester, Michelle Lopez, 27, a senior at the University of Central Florida and a substitute teacher for students with disabilities, voiced a laundry list of complaints about the new secretary, including what she referred to as a lack of concern about protecting students with disabilities.

Lopez said she also is unhappy about DeVos’ stance on public education.

“Teachers are tired, they’re overwhelmed and they’re underpaid. If teachers are not getting support from the federal government, how can they educate your children?”

Other protesters were concerned about DeVos’ stance on LGBTQ rights.

DeVos has been accused of supporting conversion therapy, but Politifact found that claim to be mostly false.

DeVos, who comes from an extremely conservative Christian family, has avoided publicly addressing her stance on the issue, perhaps perpetuating confusion over her beliefs.

“Especially with everything that’s happened in Orlando, we’re very passionate about LGBTQ rights,” said Whitney Withers, 22, one of the protesters and a senior at the University of South Florida. She was referring to last year's shooting at Pulse Nightclub. “Her stance (on LGBTQ rights) disgusts me.”