But while the Trumps steal the limelight and consume attention on issues from Russia to healthcare, it is DeVos, America’s 11th education secretary, who is viewed by many in the sector as its most dangerous and destructive since the post was created by Jimmy Carter in 1979. DeVos, a devout Christian, stands accused of quietly privatising schools, rescinding discrimination guidelines and neutering her own department’s civil rights office. Along with the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, she is said to be at the tip of the spear of Trump’s illiberal agenda.
Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation thinktank in Washington, said: “There’s been inadequate attention paid to the ways in which DeVos is rolling back civil rights protections. There would be more outcry if there wasn’t so much to be outraged about on a million other issues every day as well.”
