The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union, says it needs to cancel the events and focus on helping parents, health experts and educators to reopen schools safely.
“Instead of working on a plan to reopen schools safely this fall, DeVos is hosting behind-the-scenes political events for his ideological allies this week,” NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia said in a statement.
Background: DeVos and his staff have recently participated in other closed press meetings with chapters from the Federalist Society. POLITICO solicited their comments after their virtual conversation last month with the Federalist Society’s Michigan Lawyers Chapter and a spokesperson said: “The engagement was for its members and was always closed to the press. We generally do not disclose their comments for this type of meeting. “
In January, when DeVos spoke at a Federalist Society meeting in the Missouri State Capitol building, he spoke about his upcoming Title IX regulation and called the Obama administration’s approach an “appalling use of government force”, according to prepared comments that the Department of Education shared with POLITICO Those comments were broadcast by ABC17 News.
The Federalist Society has organized numerous discussions of Title IX in the past, saying it is an important legal issue.
