Democrats are going after Trump’s pick for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos because she made financial contributions to FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
FIRE is an outstanding non-partisan organization which defends free speech and due process, among other things, for college students and faculty. Democrats have picked the wrong target.
In the words of Professor Jacobson, “That they would try to defame such a great organization to get at her is a sign of how pathetic and dangerous they are.”
Politico has the story:
DeVos’ donations spark questions about her stance on campus sexual assaultRepublican megadonor Betsy DeVos has given thousands of dollars to an advocacy group that is seeking to overturn an Obama administration policy that made it easier to discipline college students accused of sexual harassment or assault.The donations, totaling $10,000, by Donald Trump’s Education secretary pick have prompted criticism from Democrats and women’s groups in the run-up to her confirmation hearing next week.DeVos has not spoken publicly about the Education Department’s aggressive approach to campus sexual assault, but women’s groups and Democrats say her donations to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education send a troubling signal. FIRE has sued the administration to raise the standard of proof for victims of sexual assault in university administrative hearings contending it is unfair to the accused.The donations are “a red flag,” said Lisa Maatz, the top policy adviser at the American Association of University Women, which advocates for strict enforcement of Title IX, the federal law that governs sex discrimination, harassment and sexual assault on college campuses.
The left has spent years advancing a false narrative of campus “rape culture.” DeVos’ support of FIRE, which stands up for due process, is obviously seen as a threat.
This video outlines five cases in which FIRE’s help proved indispensable:
Here’s another FIRE video created for student journalists:
Here are a few examples of FIRE’s work:
You can see FIRE’s website here.
It’s astounding that the left would paint such a fine organization in a negative light.
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