Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump's education secretary nominee, said it should be up to states whether guns are allowed in schools, citing grizzly bear protection as part of her answer.
She also said she would support Trump if he moved to ban gun-free schools zones, a position he advocated on the campaign trail.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who represents Sandy Hook, the site of the 2012 school shooting, asked DeVos if she believes guns have "any place in and around schools."
"I think that is best left to locales and states to decide," she said.
After Murphy pushed DeVos about why she can't say definitively whether they belong, DeVos brought up a story Sen. Mike Enzi told earlier about a school in Wyoming that has fences around it to protect against grizzly bears.
"I will refer back to Sen. Enzi and the school he is talking about in Wyoming. I think probably there, I would imagine there is probably a gun in a school to protect from potential grizzlies," she said.
The comment drew some laughs in the room.
I actually watched this live as it happened, and even tweeted about it.
I kind of forgot about the exchange until I saw it show up again last night and thought it needed to be shared here on IM.Went to school in Alaska. Never once had grizzly bear show up in classroom. https://t.co/aJwkE2SFu4— Gryphen 2009 (@Gryphen2009) January 18, 2017
First off I am sure that all of you know that I consider the idea of guns in public schools to be just about the dumbest idea imaginable.
Having said that I thought I should share that I actually worked at a school where a grizzly bear once ambled onto the playground.
We had moose show up with some frequency but this was our first bear.
In case you are wondering the protocol was to bring the children into the school, no running, and to then notify the authorities that there was a bear in the area.
No shots were fired, because we are Alaskans and we know that is an ignorant overreaction.
We actually went back out later in the day as if nothing had happened, and the bear never made a return visit again.
Simply put there is NEVER a good reason for guns to be in a public school setting, and no not even if a grizzly bear shows up.
P.S. By the way this was only one of the pathetic answers provided by DeVos, you can see many more by clicking here.
Dear Betsy Wetsy DeVos:
ReplyDeleteDon't worry your inbred looking little head about grizzlies. They are for the most part indigenous to Alaska. They abhor schools of any kind and although sometimes armed, can't shoot for shit.
They go by the name Palin and can be distracted by using Instagram.
Sincerely,
MoDeen Gunch
I doubt if DeVos has ever set foot in a public school. Who knows what she thinks lurk in the corridors and classrooms? Being wiling to give her the benefit of the doubt when I first heard that she wanted guns in schools because of "grizzlies," i thought she may have been talking about the "grisly" events at Sandy Hook. No, she really was talking about bears! What a nutcase this woman is!
ReplyDeleteWell, as a Michigander, I can assure the country that she will set out with one intention - to end public education everywhere. Public education, which until the right wing religion nuts started to mess with it, was one of the crown jewels in America's story, will be no more. I grieve for the education that I had and for the teachers who work so hard with ever diminishing resources.
Beaglemom
FBI Files Show Comey Has Been ‘Enthusiastic’ About Clinton Investigations Since 2001
ReplyDeleteFast forward 15 years and Comey's behavior during the presidential campaign starts to make a little more sense.
...Not only did he eagerly – and very publicly – take on the non-scandal involving Hillary Clinton’s emails, but he made sure it was front-and-center as much as possible throughout the election season.
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/01/18/fbi-file-shows-comey-enthusiastic-clinton-investigations-2001.html
Betsy made the arrogant statement that she will not be taking a salary, like it is doing us a favor.
ReplyDeleteShe is not qualified for this position, why should she get a salary? I would rather pay a qualified person a salary than "save money" from hiring her.
She also is in favor of using taxpayer money to support PRIVATE schools and isn't sure if she would support the disabilities act in public schools.
Any one with children should be concerned, you should contact your representatives and tell them to vote against her.
If she, Trump or anyone does not take a salary how can they be held accountable when they could claim they volunteered? I can for see them using their non paid work to not be held accountable. Hell, Trump denies what he says and what he does already.
DeleteIf Trump paid federal taxes the amount would exceed any salary a President is paid.
DeleteOT good read
Deletehttp://www.vox.com/first-person/2017/1/18/14300952/donald-trump-vote-regret
@8:17 REAP what you SOW>"In the end, I voted for Trump because he promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, and that was the most important issue to my own life. Looking back, I realize what a mistake it was. I ignored the pundits who repeated over and over again that he would not follow through on his promises, thinking they were spewing hysterics for better ratings. Sitting on my couch, my mouth agape at the words coming out his mouth on the TV before me, I realized just how wrong I was."Witnessing his open admittance that he made promises simply because they “played well” during the campaign was disturbing. He has shown himself to be guilty of all of the same things he accused Hillary of — lying to the public, refusing to do press conferences, putting himself and his business interests above the American people. As I witnessed the first rally of the post-election Thank You Tour, watching him soak up the praise and applause from the live feed on my computer, I felt my heart fall into my stomach. These supporters, many of whom populate my small town and my Facebook feed, have invested so much hope in him. They believe he has their back and will put them first. But all he cares about is HIMSELF."I feel humiliated already, and I know that going public with my story will open me to ridicule. But I don’t know what else to do to try to oppose him and his actions. I’m too sick to participate in peaceful protest. All I can do is try to spread the word, publishing editorials, signing petitions, and posting on Facebook, trying to do what I can to change the minds of my friends and families who continue to support HIM."All of you Republicans in Congress, I know that you are EXCITED to pass your legislation, but you need to rein in this dangerous cult of personality or I will begin advocating against your party. I’m ready to switch sides to stop him."The decision haunts me every day. And I’ll do whatever I can to help reverse it."
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/IRegretVotingForTrump/
If Trump paid federal taxes the amount would exceed any salary a President is paid.
Delete------------
He doesn't pay taxes or so he bragged but we really don't know do we because he is afraid to release his tax returns,all those pesky foreign investments and conflicts of interest.
so what is your point?
Betsy has not one qualification for this job. Not a single one. I have two children with IEPs and this woman has no clue what the hell she is doing and how it will hurt kids like mine, and OK let's just say it because it's true - ALL KIDS. She will hurt our country by hurting our most important resource - our KIDS. Fuck her.
DeleteJilly G
Say, Gryphen, is it true that some people are saying that top-ranked insect scientists have named the rare, dreaded - yet hated, also too - anal cockroach aka "Montana butt bug" in honor of His Excellency President-elect Donald Drumpf, drumpficaea anushorribilus.
ReplyDeleteAnd if not, why not?
According to wikipedia, not unlike Drumpf himself, the voracious anal cockroach is definitely NOT a creature you want ferociously burrowing into your delicate tissues and laying eggs from which thousands of squiggling larval drumpfs emerge to continue his excruciatingly painful lifecycle.
Truly a bug - and a bloated, bloviating, orange man-baby - from which endless horrific nightmares are born.
Someone on one site commented; guess what else keeps grizzles out of schools, doors !!!
ReplyDeleteI bet she has no idea how ignorant she sounded.
ReplyDeleteShe had her arrogant, privileged smile on the whole time. Her "go to" answer was "leave it up to the states".
DeleteShe obviously didn't do her homework such an example for the children and expects to be confirmed because she is rich.
This is a job interview, if anyone went to an interview so unprepared in the private sector they would not get the position.
As a resident of Michigan, DeVos' "leave it up to the states" attitude bodes for disaster all over the country.
DeleteBeaglemom
Between former Gov. Engler, let's steal the teachers pensions and DeVos let's use taxpayer $$ for private schools, it is surprising we still have public education in Michigan.
DeleteBetsy DeVos claims she had no idea she’s been VP of an anti-gay foundation for 17 years
ReplyDeleteNot only did Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos turn in an inept performance during her Senate confirmation hearings which revealed she has no idea how public schools work or which laws apply to schools, it turns out she’s apparently also some kind of secret anti-gay crusader. In fact for the past seventeen years she’s been the vice president of an anti-gay foundation — and now she’s acting shocked to learn this information.
https://www.palmerreport.com/politics/betsy-devos-claims-she-had-no-idea-shes-been-vp-of-an-anti-gay-foundation-for-17-years/981/
It is beyond belief that anyone would hire this woman to even teach 3rd grade, never mind run Dept of EDU!
ReplyDeleteNo Degrees, never a teacher, never had a student loan, ZERO financial background, going to administer 100 billion dollars of federal loans and grands, and doesn't even believe in Public .
education
Of course she IS in favor of taxpayer money going to Christian evangelical private schools.
I wished that Bernie or LIzzie Ryan had asked her if she thought tax dollars should fund a Jewish or Muslim charter school!
Piss poor candidate to be sure
It is beyond belief that anyone would hire this woman to even teach 3rd grade
Delete------------
Do not insult teachers !
Delete@7:51 YOU GOT THAT RIGHT^^^^^
as for DeVo$>"beyond belief that anyone would hire this woman" or even allow her to teach anyone to 'Tie $hoes'.
Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation
The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation was launched in 1989.[41] The foundation's giving, according to its website, is motivated by faith, and "is centered in cultivating leadership, accelerating transformation and leveraging support in five areas", namely education, community, arts, justice, and leadership.[42]"
"PISS pOOr candidate to be sure"
Deletemaybe now she can give drumpf a 'Golden Shower'. or
Want to bet she already has?
Trump’s Sec. Of Education Says Disabled Children Shouldn’t Be Protected By Law (VIDEO)
ReplyDelete...However, one of her most troubling moments came when she refused to say that all schools should follow federal laws that protect disabled children.
http://www.bipartisanreport.com/2017/01/18/trumps-sec-of-education-says-disabled-children-shouldnt-be-protected-by-law-video/
this literally made me cry. I watched it live and couldn't even believe my ears.
DeleteTwo of my children have special needs and are on IEPs in school and she not only doesn't CARE about kids like mine, she's CLUELESS about ALL kids' needs who don't fit into that private school/selective charter school vision she has
JillyG
Jilly, I doubt she knows what an IEP is.
DeleteLOL....notice the people sitting behind the hot seat at the confirmation hearings. Heads bobbing and lips reading.
ReplyDeletehttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/C2iBaMJXcAI0hxf.jpg
ReplyDeleteThis woman was pathetic throughout her interview - watched the entire thing and think her totally 'unqualified' to take this position. All she is, is a billionaire!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fucking farce! Trump's group will deprive the poor and some of the middle class a good education - no doubt about it!
Further dumbing down of our society! Be prepared America and parents!
All she is, is a billionaire!
Delete----------------
Family money is from the pyramid scam Amway business
Who needs an education when there's the end times and the Rapture coming?
Delete...While there are many things wrong in that answer, the most startling question it raises is which children are Conway saying do or do not deserve an education? Are the ones with the means to “escape their zip codes” to go to expensive private or charter schools more deserving that those who cannot?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bipartisanreport.com/2017/01/18/kellyanne-conway-goes-on-fox-news-to-make-a-complete-fool-of-herself-video/
Gee? That Heritage Foundation has BIGLY influenza infection in usa elections. Core of Citizen United and Country divided. Its a small mans world today.
ReplyDeleteDoes Trump Have Any Motivation To Prevent International Crises?
ReplyDelete...The Obama administration has written 275 briefing papers for the incoming Trump administration: nearly 1,000 pages of classified material on North Korea’s nuclear program, the military campaign against the Islamic State, tensions in the South China Sea, and every other kind of threat the new team could face in its first weeks in office.
Nobody in the current administration knows whether anyone in the next has read any of it...
http://crooksandliars.com/2017/01/does-trump-have-any-motivation-prevent
Drumpf can't READ, So why should anyone...
Deletetrump told them: I don't want anything more than 140 characters.
Deleteit is all Obama's fault,he his trying to overload donnie with too much information.
A Final Reminder: Here’s Who ‘Owns’ the Trump Presidency and Who Will Get the Blame/Praise
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mediaite.com/online/a-final-reminder-heres-who-owns-the-trump-presidency-and-who-will-get-the-blamepraise/
"Sarah Palin: The woman who I spent almost two years of my life defending became the first big-name conservative to endorse Trump, despite the fact that on two of her most passionate issues (abortion and disabilities) Trump is an embarrassment. In return for this betrayal of her own values she got… basically nothing. Who knew the $OUL of a once good person could end up being worth so little?"
Delete"Years of liberals helping political correctness run amok created fertile ground for Trump to reap the benefits of the inevitable backlash. Their over-the-top demonizing of GOOD PEOPLE like George Bush, John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Mitt Romney, like the preverbal BOY who cried “wolf,” destroyed the ability of their cataclysmic warnings about Trump to be taken seriously."
Boys will be Boys Or is it the sons and daughters of>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_from_Brazil_(film)
@8:02 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_political_corruption_probe
DeleteAlaska political corruption probe refers to a 2003 to 2010 widespread investigation
{Perfectly Titled} 'The Corrupt Bastard's Club'
or the 'Operation Polar Pen'
$eXxx, BULLing and MonEy
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Owns-America-Walter-Hickel/dp/013958322X
Delete1971 FOREWARNED!
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/314991-trump-team-prepares-dramatic-cuts
DeleteREAD THIS^^^^
OT: expect SarahPAC's next FEC filing to drop in the next day or so, lately they've been using news-heavy events like the inauguration to act as cover for the defunct PAC's dwindling receipts lately. Cash on hand and incoming receipts should prove interesting.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fec.gov/fecviewer/CandidateCommitteeDetail.do?candidateCommitteeId=C00458588&tabIndex=1
Brother Erik:
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Prince
O/T Dem Senator On Republican O'Care Replacement: 'They Are In A Panic'
ReplyDeleteSen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) says Republicans have approached him looking for help to replace the Affordable Care Act because he says "they are in a panic."
"I think they want a life line because they don't have a plan," Schatz told TPM.
Schatz told TPM that Republicans' overtures to talk health care are little more than vague hints that the Democratic senator should sit down with them.
"It's 'hey, let's talk. Why don't we form a little grouping,' but nobody's buying it because they have no plan," Schatz said.
Republicans took the first steps to repeal the Affordable Care Act last week using a process known as reconciliation, which only requires a simple majority vote to pass in the Senate. But Republicans know that they will need Democratic support to replace Obamacare.
"They want to be able to claim this is part of a good faith negotiation, but it's simply not.They have no idea what comes next so they want some bipartisan cover for their nonsense behavior," Schatz said.
He also said Republicans were looking for Democratic cooperation so that they can share the blame.
"They're really worried because anyone who pays any attention to health care knows exactly what is about to happen to the system, to the market and to individuals, and they don't want to be blamed for it so they're trying to see if they can take us off the cliff with them and we aren't going to abide by it," Schatz said.
Other Democrat senators TPM talked to said Republicans had not reached out to them to hammer out a plan. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said that he had a conversation with his Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), but very little with Senate Republicans.
"I've actually talked to Republicans about what is next, and I said, 'You know the only way to get 900,000 people covered in Ohio and to get 22 million covered in the United States is single payer. It's Medicare for all, and I said I don't think you guys like that much.' And they don't, of course," Brown said. "There is this public vibrato repeal and replace that is masking a jitteriness on so many Republican senators' parts," Brown said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/dem-senator-on-republican-ocare-replacement-they-are-in-a-panic
NO Democrat should vote with or help plan the GoPEE replacement. The repuglicans have enough votes, let them OWN it, all of it.
DeleteThe first thing that came to my mind was that saying some people use: Oh my God, will someone please shoot her? And, Put her out of her misery.
ReplyDeleteOT?
ReplyDeleteLIE:
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/01/steven-mnuchin-forgot-100-million-his-financial-disclosure-forms
What is a $100 million? pocket change, easy to misplace.
DeleteRegarding education, DeVos said certain children should not be protected. Does she feel the same way about Barron?
ReplyDeleteI want your name. You can expect the police at your house tomorrow at 12:01pm.
Delete@ 8:40 and I suppose you called the police on those that commented on Malia and Sasha.
Delete@anon 8:40am
DeleteFor what? Saying that Baron is special needs and deserves an education? You are a piece of cake. Fake outrage over nothing.
m
DeleteI can call Baron ugly, I can call him retarded, I can call him anything I want.
Since the majority of his appointees are multi-millionaires and billionaires, it stands to reason that that kind of money makes people batshit crazy.
ReplyDeleteThis one never went to public school, not has she sent her kids to public school. Has she ever stepped foot inside a public school?
On top of that her billions were made via the pyramid scheme Amway, and her brother is Eric Prince (Blackwater). Scum of the earth wants to run/ruin our country!
I will expect that anti crony capitalist Sarah will be writing extensively on this topic on her new website.
DeleteO/T Poor little trump supporters, Comrade trump LIED again, no intentions of draining the swamp. We told you so and all of us are going to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteEx-Trump Staffers Behind New Lobbying Firm To Start Pro-Trump Super PAC
Two Donald Trump loyalists behind a new lobbying firm explicitly founded to help businesses navigate the President-elect’s administration will also launch a pro-Trump super PAC intended to drum up support for his agenda and administration picks, Bloomberg reported Thursday.....
.... When the firm first launched in December, Lewandowski told Fox News that draining the swamp was “somewhere down at the bottom” of Trump’s list of priorities. Trump ally Newt Gingrich also said that the President-elect thought the phrase was “cute” but no longer uses it, prompting Trump to send a tweet affirming that he will “always be trying to DTS.”
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/lewandowski-bennett-pro-trump-lobbying-firm-super-pac
The woman means a bear like Sarah Palin: LOL
ReplyDeleteDang, what's going to happen to scarah's DS kid and traitor trump's last offspring.
ReplyDeleteFYI:From TheHill aka HELL
ReplyDeletehttp://thehill.com/policy/finance/314991-trump-team-prepares-dramatic-cuts
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-hotel-sean-spicer-profiting-off-presidency-f6f0bbacecca#.tm8eg4min
DeleteJust read a Yahoo interview with Melania's stylist. He's the guy who does her hair all the time and is doing it for the inauguration. He was asked if he'll be moving to DC. He said he wasn't sure about that and he said he knows she won't be moving into the WH until at least September. Not before September, and September at the earliest--so maybe there will be no move for Barron's fall term. What happened to June? September (or near the end of August) begins a new school year. If she and Lardass are planning on having Barron move to DC to start a new school year, why no acclimation period? Don't be surprised if the move doesn't happen. The Trumps always play that game of pushing stuff off the calendar and knowing people will stop wondering and asking questions. If Barron does move to DC, if it's after the new school year starts, then don't be surprised if there's an announcement that he'll be homeschooled. And then, of course, the speculations about him will begin, but if Trump's goal is to keep Barron from being observed by the public, it'll get him that.
ReplyDeleteMan, there was a crowd of Trump fans standing near his DC hotel waiting to catch sight of him, and they looked like the typical fat and frumpy and uneducated yahoos of the rallies.
ReplyDeletedrumpf Winter White House
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/821772494864580614/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
'Born FUCK UP'
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/decoding-trumps-bizarre-inaugural-speechwriting-photo/
Man these people are jusy dumb, cheats, and liars. What did I expect? I have to begin with they are dumb. Missing my checks, missing my clearances, can't do much because the usa govt is all shitchaosed due to a big fat orange ugly shit gibbon.
ReplyDeletePBS> has always been a/THE goal of the John Birch Society
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2017/01/19/trump-republicans-plan-privatize-pbs-pay-tax-cuts-rich.html
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/trump-supporters-accused-of-spitting-on-kids-and-hurling-racial-slurs-during-migrant-students-dc-visit/
ReplyDeleteColbert used this last night. Pretty much swept the floor with DeVos. She is just so depolorably unfit for the office. Ignorant of all things education. The Right screams about keeping politics out of schools but has no problem having a billionaire donor in charge of education so she can gut it all for her personal political philosophy. No research based decisions here. No data to back anything up.
ReplyDeleteShe isn't alone. All of Drumpf's oligarchs are a disaster in waiting.
What is ludicrous is that the Democrats are exposing the corruption and incompetence of all of these nominees and the Republicans will confirm them anyway.
She's a corrupt wealthy dumbass, like him and all his appointees.
ReplyDeleteGryphen, if you missed Colbert last night, don't miss this
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVtuohm-Vgo
Alaska is not the only state where people may encounter a grizzly while going about their daily routines.
ReplyDeleteThe Wapiti school referred to has had many grizzly sightings. They have a protective "bear fence" and regular bear drills. There's even a bearskin and head nailed up nearby to keep the children aware.
The staff have cans of bear spray at the ready. Statistics compiled by forest rangers and wildlife biologists like Dr. Stephen Herrero indicate that bear spray is more effective at deterring bears than a gun, and bear spray is easier to use.
I remember there was a bear in Yellowstone nicknamed the Wapiti sow who killed an experienced hiker who was quite close to a parking lot. Yellowstone is thick with bears, but if you are "bear-aware," hike in groups, and make noise, you'll increase your chances of never having to deploy the spray. That's what the experts tell us, anyway. I am nervous in bear country, even in my state of Washington, which has mostly black bears. When they turn up in neighborhoods, they are trapped and tagged by wildlife officers and then released with Karelian bear dogs chasing them back deep into the woods. Problem bears who return are killed and given to local Native people for respectful treatment and consumption.
But this silly gaffe is not the worst thing about DeVos, when you consider her ignorance about education as a whole, and her religious zealotry which could result in the teaching of intelligent design and so on. Her brother is strange too. He's Erik Prince, former SEAL and founder of the notorious Blackwater company. Hope he doesn't find a place in Trump's administration.