The vaction home of our new Head of Education, Betsy Devos

[Unkotare]

The very first thing she should do is go into the classroom in the inner city where kids who hate school because of their home situation and spend a whole year teaching a classroom full of delinquents. Then she can actually discuss education. Have we ever had a teacher who has taught for many years in this poisition?

Yes.

All kids in the inner city are not "delinquents."

And you need not fear every young person of this or that demographic as a matter of course.

 

[HenryBHough]

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

 

[yiostheoy]

born with a golden spoon, married into money, and tries their best to control our Mi politics, is now the head of Ed of the US, who is pro vouchers and private schools. A lot she is going to do for our Public Schools which our property tax goes to, and I really do not want my tax dollars to go to school vouchers or private schools. Thought you'd like to see some pics of her vacation home. Her kids were too good for public ed, same as most elites, which is why our Public Ed schools are going and have been in the gutters. Trump said he was going to clean up inner city schools, with her he is going to do that, she is responsible for the downfall of Public schools. (more pics in link)

Amway heir Dick and Betsy DeVos move into sprawling 22,000-square-foot mansion

The sprawling Lake Macatawa property and new home owned Dick and Betsy DeVos in Holland. At far left is the 6,000-square-foot guest house, and just to the right of that is the pool house. To the far right is the 20,000-square-foot, three bedroom mansion. (Mark Copier | The Grand Rapids Press)

HOLLAND -- Amway heir Dick DeVos and his wife, Betsy DeVos, moved into their new digs over Labor Day weekend.

For months, cars have slowed along South Shore Drive as gawkers have followed the construction of the DeVos home, the biggest house in Holland, if not Ottawa County.

"We are very excited with it," said Betsy DeVos, who grew up in Holland as the daughter of the late industrialist Edgar Prince. Her mother, Elsa Prince-Broekhuizen, owns a home a few doors down.

"As our family is continuing to grow, our hope is that it will be a gathering place for many generations," she said.

Their three-story vacation home sets a new standard for size and grandeur among the other million-dollar-plus mansions that line Lake Macatawa, a popular spot with access to Lake Michigan.

The stone and shingle house has 22,000 square feet of space. But if that's not enough room, there's a 6,200-square-foot guest house, plus a large infinity pool with a 700-square-foot pool house and three garages, according to city records.

Nice place.

Kind of cramped though.

 

[yiostheoy]

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

 

[yiostheoy]

born with a golden spoon, married into money, and tries their best to control our Mi politics, is now the head of Ed of the US, who is pro vouchers and private schools. A lot she is going to do for our Public Schools which our property tax goes to, and I really do not want my tax dollars to go to school vouchers or private schools. Thought you'd like to see some pics of her vacation home. Her kids were too good for public ed, same as most elites, which is why our Public Ed schools are going and have been in the gutters. Trump said he was going to clean up inner city schools, with her he is going to do that, she is responsible for the downfall of Public schools. (more pics in link)

Amway heir Dick and Betsy DeVos move into sprawling 22,000-square-foot mansion

The sprawling Lake Macatawa property and new home owned Dick and Betsy DeVos in Holland. At far left is the 6,000-square-foot guest house, and just to the right of that is the pool house. To the far right is the 20,000-square-foot, three bedroom mansion. (Mark Copier | The Grand Rapids Press)

HOLLAND -- Amway heir Dick DeVos and his wife, Betsy DeVos, moved into their new digs over Labor Day weekend.

For months, cars have slowed along South Shore Drive as gawkers have followed the construction of the DeVos home, the biggest house in Holland, if not Ottawa County.

"We are very excited with it," said Betsy DeVos, who grew up in Holland as the daughter of the late industrialist Edgar Prince. Her mother, Elsa Prince-Broekhuizen, owns a home a few doors down.

"As our family is continuing to grow, our hope is that it will be a gathering place for many generations," she said.

Their three-story vacation home sets a new standard for size and grandeur among the other million-dollar-plus mansions that line Lake Macatawa, a popular spot with access to Lake Michigan.

The stone and shingle house has 22,000 square feet of space. But if that's not enough room, there's a 6,200-square-foot guest house, plus a large infinity pool with a 700-square-foot pool house and three garages, according to city records.

You have condemned a person even before day 1 on the job. Good grief!

The Devos are not new in MI. They have a history, and my opinion is not good. We need good public schools not charter schools , which many in MI are now privately owned and are not monitored..

Well whether this bureaucrat can come up with anything good in the Federal Dept of Ed or not will have to be seen.

Education should be a local issue not Federal.

My suggestion would be to completely dismantle the Fed Dept of Ed.

And maybe this is what Trump wants her to do.

But whether he can get GOP approval in Congress to do it is probably as unlikely as his Trumpcare plan was.

 

[Penelope]

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

 

[leftwinger]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

 

[yiostheoy]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talked to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

 

[Penelope]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

When you inherit that much and plus marry a billionaire you can't help but keep it , unless you are Trump.

 

[yiostheoy]

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

 

[Penelope]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

 

[yiostheoy]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

Accreditation can be completely separate from involvement.

There can be standard tests, but no way to really enforce them.

It really is a state issue.

Any money thrown after it is a waste to Federal taxpayer dollars.

Trump needs to figure out ways to cut Federal spending.

Reagan promised to but never did it. Instead he spent more money than Carter ever did.

 

[Penelope]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

Class envy is an ugly thing, is it not?

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

Accreditation can be completely separate from involvement.

There can be standard tests, but no way to really enforce them.

It really is a state issue.

Any money thrown after it is a waste to Federal taxpayer dollars.

Trump needs to figure out ways to cut Federal spending.

Reagan promised to but never did it. Instead he spent more money than Carter ever did.

Have you lived in one place throughout your years in school?

 

[yiostheoy]

She didn't make it , she inherited it and so did he. Born with "golden spoons". Money begets money.

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

It is not good for anybody to envy the rich.

They got their money fair and square -- they inherited it.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

Accreditation can be completely separate from involvement.

There can be standard tests, but no way to really enforce them.

It really is a state issue.

Any money thrown after it is a waste to Federal taxpayer dollars.

Trump needs to figure out ways to cut Federal spending.

Reagan promised to but never did it. Instead he spent more money than Carter ever did.

Have you lived in one place throughout your years in school?

Nope. Military dad.

So Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Morocco, Germany, and California during my schooling years. Catholic schools are fairly uniform across the world.

 

[Penelope]

She must be smart. She did not lose it all. She grew her pile. Unlike millions who fail.

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

Envy no I would not envy her and I would not want to live in that home. As it is I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, that over 30 years of living in the same house we have come to accumulate.

She is pro For profit schools, and I am not. It has costs MI taxpayers billions along with our tax dollars going to local public schools.

So you do not think we need a dept of education. Maybe you are right, she is able to do as much damage in private as she does in office. Most of the for profit schools in MI are not monitored, and do not really do any better and even sometimes worst than public schools. We in MI know Devos family, her brother was in charge of Blackwater, the private security firm, which is now First Security. The Devos own MI. There is no way these rich elites even can comprehend the normal person, esp when born with a silver spoon. I am anti For profit schools and prisons.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

Accreditation can be completely separate from involvement.

There can be standard tests, but no way to really enforce them.

It really is a state issue.

Any money thrown after it is a waste to Federal taxpayer dollars.

Trump needs to figure out ways to cut Federal spending.

Reagan promised to but never did it. Instead he spent more money than Carter ever did.

Have you lived in one place throughout your years in school?

Nope. Military dad.

So Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Morocco, Germany, and California during my schooling years. Catholic schools are fairly uniform across the world.

Yes you are lucky you went to Catholic schools moving around like that, what an experience for you. I went from a suburb of Chicago to the UP of MI in the middle of 9th grade so I had half of my classes in with the 11 graders. Maybe that is why I feel that way, and you feel the way you do. I'm RC and that is one thing great about the RCC is that its the same in most places.

 

[yiostheoy]

Smart is genetic.

If she is smart then she inherited the genes.

Just because she is rich does not mean she is smart.

I have talking to lots of lawyers who work closely to Trump, for example, and they say he is inept. And he is rich. So your syllogism (she is smart) fails.

Well in my private Catholic schools they taught us that there are things that the Feds should do and there are things that the Feds should not do. And there are things that the states should do and things that the states should not do.

And the test they gave us is that if the states can do it then the Feds should not do it, because the states are closer to us than the Fed is in DC.

So it therefore seems to me that education should be a state issue NOT Federal.

I can see the Fed's giving scholarships for persons giving them Federal service such as military, peace corps, etc.

But otherwise I do not believe the Fed's should be involved in education.

I suspect Trump feels the same way. And if so then this lady will either try to fix the Federal programs or cancel them.

But the Fed Dept of Ed is created by Congress therefore Trump's hands are tied without further legislation.

One thing about Catholic schools like Catholic mass is they are pretty much the same no matter what state you live in.

I believed in Common Core and all schools should have the same basic courses in each grade, and a US standard test in reading, math and the sciences for each grade.

Accreditation can be completely separate from involvement.

There can be standard tests, but no way to really enforce them.

It really is a state issue.

Any money thrown after it is a waste to Federal taxpayer dollars.

Trump needs to figure out ways to cut Federal spending.

Reagan promised to but never did it. Instead he spent more money than Carter ever did.

Have you lived in one place throughout your years in school?

Nope. Military dad.

So Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, Morocco, Germany, and California during my schooling years. Catholic schools are fairly uniform across the world.

Yes you are lucky you went to Catholic schools moving around like that, what an experience for you. I went from a suburb of Chicago to the UP of MI in the middle of 9th grade so I had half of my classes in with the 11 graders. Maybe that is why I feel that way, and you feel the way you do. I'm RC and that is one thing great about the RCC is that its the same in most places.

I love our Church.

Even so I am not afraid to disagree with the Pope or even with Jesus for that matter.

 

[Nia88]

I don't agree with attacks on someone's policies just because they're rich. The dollars and cents of school choice aren't dependent on having been too poor to go to a private school. I don't know anything about charter schools or how "school choice" is going to be paid for, so I'm not for or against it until I learn more, but dismissing her ideas out of hand because she's rich? Not sensible.

I agree that economic status shouldn't be an issue but it can play a role in certain factors. Like there are some things that suggest she brought her job through "donations "

I think the problem is DeVos is a staunch advocate of private and charter schools and its clear she's not to keen on public school. She's a wealthy woman who's never attended public nor has sent her kids there. She's never even taught before.

Privilege ladies like herself will never understand the importance of a good public school system, because she's never had to depend on it.

School vouchers are nice in theory , but the focus needs to be put on bettering public schools.

Private and charter schools also tend to have less regulations to abide by than public schools do. You have some states that don't require teachers to have a degree in private schools. So who knows what those kids are going learning.

I am someone who has attended private schools my whole life. However , I've taught in public schools before and I see the importance of ensuring our public schools are kept in good shape.