Winsome Earle-Sears, currently the Republican nominee for Virginia’s governor, has gained substantial financial backing from Betsy DeVos, the former Secretary of Education, and her family. The donations amount to $40,000 in total.
Betsy DeVos, who served under President Trump, is known for her advocacy to reduce funding for public schools and promote private education alternatives. DeVos, married to former Amway CEO Dick DeVos, is part of a family that has historically supported conservative causes, including anti-union efforts and abortion bans.
The National Education Association criticized DeVos’s policies in 2020, stating, “[DeVos] has worked against the best interests of public schools,” and accused her of ignoring educators’ needs by proposing funding cuts and pushing for privatization.
Recent campaign finance disclosures reveal individual contributions of $5,000 each from Betsy DeVos and her husband Dick DeVos to Earle-Sears’ campaign. Additionally, Dick DeVos’ siblings have collectively contributed $30,000.
Support for Earle-Sears extends to the American Federation for Children, an organization that advocates for private school funding through public money, such as tax credits and vouchers. The group, funded by DeVos, contributed $1,500 to Earle-Sears in March, besides a $15,000 donation to her super PAC earlier in 2023.
As an advocate for private schooling, Earle-Sears expressed her support for such policies in an op-ed for the Roanoke Star. In the piece, she backed Virginia legislature bills that aimed to promote school choice, although both initiatives were unsuccessful.
“I am sponsoring legislation to create new opportunities for financially disadvantaged students,” she wrote. The proposed bills, SB533/HB1164, would have allowed low-income families to use state education funds for various educational expenses, including tuition.
While Earle-Sears argues for these policies, critics highlight that school choice may siphon funds from public education without truly enhancing access. Vouchers often cover only part of private tuition, potentially leaving low-income families unable to afford private schooling.
Earle-Sears has been serving as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor since 2022 and secured the Republican nomination for governor on June 17. Her opponent, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, has prioritized strengthening public education in her campaign.
Spanberger, a former Representative with three children in Virginia public schools, promises to enhance school funding, address the teacher shortage, and oppose any efforts to divert public school funds. “She will oppose efforts that seek to erode faith in our public schools or take public dollars out of public schools,” her campaign website states.
A recent Harris poll from May indicated Spanberger is leading Earle-Sears by four percentage points.
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