Betsy DeVos visits Parkland school, angers shooting survivors

[poboy2]

Betsy DeVos visits Parkland school, angers shooting survivors
New York Daily News
Jessica Schladebeck
1 hr ago

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made a contentious visit to the site of last month’s Florida school shooting Wednesday, in which she was criticized by survivors and abruptly walked out of her own press conference.

DeVos spent the morning at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where former student Nikolas Cruz gunned down 17 students and teachers on Valentine’s Day. Her visit immediately sparked criticism and backlash from shooting survivors and advocates on social media.

“Do something unexpected: answer our questions,” Aly Sheehy tweeted at DeVos. “You came to our school just for publicity and avoided our questions for the 90 minutes you were actually here. How about you do your job?”

Emma Gonzalez, who captured the world’s attention when she called “BS” on Trump and the National Rifle Association following the school shooting, dismissed DeVos with a tweet to her 1.2 million followers.

When the visit was announced Tuesday evening she wrote it was a “good thing I was already planning on sleeping in that day.”

Student Sarah Chadwick echoed the sentiment in a tweet: “Literally no one asked for this.”

The brutal massacre has forced the issue of gun violence and gun safety laws to the forefront, with student survivors fiercely calling for change and stricter regulations. President Trump has since proposed banning bump stocks and arming school staff.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/betsy-devos-visits-parkland-school-angers-shooting-survivors/ar-BBJYSgL?li=BBnb7Kz

[Cracklin Charlie]

1. The youngsters are not taking any BS.

They have had their fill.

More power to them.

[poboy2]

5. No bears attacking the school, so she's out of there.

[hatrack]

2. Well, THAT went well . . .

EDIT

She also told reporters she toured the school with student journalists, and vowed to return to sit down with them and further delve into the issues. The editor of the school's newspaper “The Eagle Eye,” however, said DeVos “refused to even meet/speak with students.”

“I don’t understand the point of her being here,” she tweeted.

And DeVos’ brief appearance at the Parkland high school isn’t the only thing sparking backlash. When further pressed on the issue of arming school staff, with questions surrounding training standards and student opposition to such a program, DeVos walked away from her podium and ended the press conference.

EDIT

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/betsy-devos-visits-parkland-school-angers-shooting-survivors/ar-BBJYSgL?li=BBnb7Kz

[underpants]

15. That woman is purely toxic

I haven't seen one appearance that she's made that has gone well. From getting shouted away from a school in Baltimore to her tweet about it being able that from no a pencil in her office - teachers lambasted her with I HAVE TO BUY SUPPLIES WITH MY OWN MONEY!!! etc.

[Frustratedlady]

3. DeVos should not have expected a gracious audience.

She didn't have anything to contribute to the conversation and obviously used it for a photo-op. Shame on her.

I'm glad the students are continuing to fight the issue and are calling the powers that be to pay attention and act.

This shooting is different for some reason. Those kids are bright enough to realize they have to change things from how they stand, today. They are brave enough to speak out and demand action in the memory of those who were killed. WHY is this different from the other school shootings? I don't know for sure, but I feel it in my bones and I'm glad the kids are standing strong. We need to support them in spirit and with our voices.

[Leith]

4. Hear! Hear!

Betsy was surprised that the students didn't form a slobbering roundtable to compliment and thank her, like she did for tRump.

[malaise]

12. She didn't hence the press block out n/t

[RandomAccess]

6. Here's some of what she said

wish ABC had shown more. Why are they protecting her?

Speaking at site of Florida high school massacre, Education Sec. Betsy DeVos says: "Arming teachers is an oversimplification and a mischaracterization." http://abcn.ws/2tnQezN

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Maybe they don't think she's important enough to be worth covering.

[UpInArms]

7. I guess she thought she was meeting

Rebecca Mercer for lunch

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I don't think there are grizzly bears in Florida,

so what could she possibly have to say about guns in schools?

[exboyfil]

10. Alligators

You need them for the alligators.

[Lochloosa]

13. Panthers....we have Panthers here. And big snakes.

[underpants]

16. I'm a bit surprised we haven't heard her brother weaseling into school Security

The bears!!!!

[gratuitous]

11. Ungrateful whelps

One of their betters drops in for an hour and a half (that's more than five minutes per dead student!) and all they can do is carp? How about a little gratitude, you lot? Do you know how many student loan businesses should could have called in that amount of time? And those people you like to denigrate as blood-sucking loan sharks would have been tickled pink to hear from Secretary DeVos! Where are their manners!

[underpants]

17. Exactly

As I noted above she is toxic. Every event turns into a mess. She's just not used to the world the peons live in.

[struggle4progress]

14. "Give teachers bazookas and uzis! And if, heaven forbid, we start have arson problems,

we'll hand out matches and gas cans!"

[nolabear]

18. Theyre cowards but incredibly full of gall.

What on EARTH did she expect? Perhaps just to make them look bad to the base?

[poboy2]

19. These kids grit deserves a bump, imo.