The score is tied, 50-50. The Senate turns to Vice President Mike Pence and waits anxiously for him to cast his tie-breaking vote. Finally, the game is over. Betsy DeVos, newly elected Department of Education Secretary, wins with 51 votes in her favor and 50 against.

DeVos was born and raised in Holland, Michigan, and she has been wealthy since. Her father was a billionaire founder of the Prince Corporation, an auto-parts manufacturing company, and after his death, his company was bought for $1.35 billion dollars. And she’s not the only one with a rich father. DeVos’s husband’s father was also a self-made multi-billionaire, being the co-founder of the Amway corporation and the owner of Orlando Magic. Cosmopolitan says, “The DeVos family is among the richest people not only in Michigan, but the world.” Neither DeVos nor her children attended public schools; instead, they all attended private.  

President elect Donald Trump announced his nomination for the Department of Education saying, “Betsy DeVos is a brilliant and passionate education advocate. Under her leadership, we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families.” And so, on February 7, the Senate voted on whether Betsy DeVos should take the position or not. The vote was split 50-50, and vice president Mike Pence stepped in to break the tie. Now that she is the Secretary of the Department of Education, many are curious to know: what does she plan on doing?

During a speech in 2015, DeVos said, “Let the education dollars follow each child, instead of forcing the child to follow the dollars. This is pretty straightforward. And it’s how you go from a closed system to an open system that encourages innovation. People deserve choices and options.” Simply put, DeVos plans on setting up a voucher system that includes every child in America. This system helps provides the money needed to send the student to whichever school the family thinks is best for him/her, whether it be public, private, or charter. Esquire News elaborates on the technicalities of this plan, saying, “Trump is also a proponent of vouchers, and has proposed dedicating $20 billion in federal funding toward voucher programs and charter schools. In addition, he has expressed a desire to persuade states to invest another $110 billion toward vouchers. The goal would be to give every child $12,000 to spend on education. That money could either be funneled back into the public school system or used to subsidize the cost of a private education.” This is an extremely controversial idea; some doubt it will work for even a second, while others believe that it will give the youth generation the adequate education they need and deserve.

Betsy DeVos has been the topic of conversation for many because she is one of the most controversial picks for the Secretary of Education. With little to no political experience, people are concerned about her qualifications for the job. According to US News, “DeVos also revealed that she didn’t understand a basic tenet of one of the most important education laws, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.” In addition, DeVos and all four of her children attended private institutions, which raises concerns that she will focus more on improving private and charter schools rather than public schools, which 91% of students in America attend.

Although many oppose Trump’s nomination for the Department of Education, only time will tell if DeVos can make or break America’s education system. At least we all have one common goal: to shape the next generation into intelligent, compassionate leaders that can help change the world, one step at a time.