"Speakin a where nobody knows happening, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sat down with '60 Minutes' last night and it really seemed like you know, she didn't do her homework. She's not on top of stuff," Goldberg began introducing a clip of the show.
DeVos confessed she has not "intentionally" visited at-risk or underperforming schools to investigate why they're faltering.
"So, call me crazy, but what's she been doing this whole time," Goldberg wondered. The New York Times, however, revealed that DeVos has instead been focusing her attention on private schools and religious schools for her time in office.
Co-host Sunny Hostin noted it was even more scary that DeVos was in her home state recently, and those were the schools that "60 Minutes" reporter Leslie Stahl was asking her about. Hostin noted she hasn't even visited schools in her own home state.
"What is so upsetting to me is that education was the great equalizer," Hostin continued, speaking from her own experience. "I've often said, I was the kid from the South Bronx, but I was smart and I was in the books. And my parents did everything they could to make sure I went to good schools. And it's the only reason I'm sitting here today and not a statistic."
She went on to note that when she thinks of the head of the Education Department, who is responsible for children's lives, but isn't qualified to lead those lives and lead education. "It hurts me to my core that kids like me don't have a chance with Betsy DeVos as the person taking care of their education," she confessed.
Co-host Sara Haines brought up the already at-risk children who attend public schools, while the state is draining their funding to give to charter schools.
"You can't assume that every parent is going to research these places. That's a lot of paperwork -- it's a lot of legwork," Haines explained. "So, ultimately, who this is going to hurt is the most underprivileged young people, who are already struggling."
She also brought up the confirmation hearing where DeVos seemed woefully unprepared.
"After the confirmation hearings, and how much struggle she had getting in, and people saying 'you're not prepared.' That part, you forgive her once but you don't forgive twice," Haines continued. "The idea that she did not research a lot of this stuff sitting down with Leslie Stahl?! I'd at least have cheat sheet."
"Does she not care?" Hostin wondered.
Watch the full commentary below:
