Betsy DeVos Brought Michigan Conservative Educational Ideals to National Stage
Even before she became the 11th U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos was among the most well-known and high-profile residents of Michigan. That was not just because she was born into one of the wealthiest families in the Wolverine State and then married a billionaire. Betsy DeVos made a significant name for herself in her lifelong pursuit of Conservative Republican politics and ardent support of education reform.
Betsy DeVos was born Elisabeth Prince, daughter of auto-parts magnate Edgar Prince. Hers was a family steeped in its Dutch ancestry and devotion to the Dutch Christian Reformed Church. She received an elite education at the best private schools. After graduating from Holland Christian High School, she enrolled at the private Calvin College in Grand Rapids. She earned a degree in business administration there and entered her first foray into politics.
Elisabeth Prince joined the presidential campaign of Gerald R. Ford as a volunteer. It would prove to be the beginning of decades of intense political involvement. Around this time, she met and married Dick DeVos, the scion of Amway and heir to that company’s multi-billion fortune.
Betsy DeVos would prove to be a lightning rod for her political views. Her strong right-of-center positions would earn her the enmity of the political left. Her ardent support for private schools and charter schools would also set her at odds with advocates for traditional public education. She consistently drew the ire of teachers unions and others for her unflagging support for the school voucher program — an idea in which federal tax dollars can be diverted to parochial or private schools to pay tuition for students who want to attend.
Her selection to the Cabinet of President Donald Trump catapulted Betsy DeVos into a nationally known figure. Her reception by Americans at large proved similar to the reactions she has earned for decades back in her home state.