DeVos on college admissions scandal: We need equal opportunity for students

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Betsy DeVos weighs in on a FBI investigation into wealthy parents who allegedly 'bought' college admission

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos says higher education institutions and K-12 schools are "not fair" when it comes to giving opportunities to students from different financial backgrounds and that the Trump administration is pushing for “equal opportunity for all students” during comments on the college admissions scandal Wednesday.

“This is a matter that all Americans want things to be fair and they’re clearly not,” DeVos said on “The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino.”

“This goes to K-12 education as well, and we don’t have the same opportunities for all students in K-12 education, we don’t in higher education and that’s one of the things that this administration is really advocating for. Equal opportunity for all students.”

DeVos said students need to be considered by colleges and universities on their merit and that the Education Department was investigating how it factors into the investigation.

This is a matter that all Americans want things to be fair and they’re clearly not.

— Education Secretary Betsy DeVos

“We are still researching and looking into how the department might interface with this. Obviously this is a Department of Justice operation but we are looking very closely at it and we’ll see if any of the regulations we’re responsible for have been broken,” DeVos told Perino when asked if there was anything her department could do to assure the system wasn’t rigged in favor of the wealthy.

The scam was allegedly masterminded by William Rick Singer of California, who helped parents get their children admitted to top colleges and universities through bribes, according to court documents.

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Fifty people have been charged, including more than 30 parents, and nine coaches.  Actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman are among those parents charged.

DeVos also talked to Perino about the Department of Education proposing teacher vouchers for professional development.

“We believe that teachers need to have the freedom to decide how they can better develop their own talents and become better teachers themselves,” DeVos said.

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A proposed $200 million would go to these vouchers.

DeVos also said part of the proposal included a tax credit that would become scholarships for students across the country, with states deciding whether or not to participate.