This post from 2-14 will be a helpful resource in the days ahead. -- FC
Mother Jones' January/February issue includes an article titled "Meet the New Kochs: The DeVos Clan's Plan to Defund the Left." Author Andy Kroll details Dick DeVos' role in orchestrating the ambush that made Michigan a "right-to-work" (aka "right to work for less") state. Of course, the DeVos family's exploits against labor unions and public education aren't new, and Talk2action contributors have been writing about them for years. This includes a series of articles on the DeVoses role promoting school vouchers and a series of articles by Russ Bellant, author of the 1996 book, The Religious Right in Michigan Politics. See the list and links after the fold, including a video clip from Dick DeVos' 2002 speech at the Heritage Foundation in which he described the need to change the face of the "school choice" movement.
The TTA search function (top right) lists dozens of articles at Talk2action that reference "DeVos" since 2006. Scan the whole list or see the selection of links below with descriptions.
Funding the Religious Right
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/5/16/123025/506 Prince and DeVos Families at Intersection of Radical Free Market Privatizers and Religious Right (2011)
The Prince and DeVos families leading the national pro-privatization of schools effort are also promoting other privatization efforts and funding Religious Right entities.
Articles on the DeVoses and School Privatization
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/5/3/12515/58655 Strategy for Privatizing Public Schools Spelled Out by Dick DeVos in 2002 Heritage Foundation Speech (2011) The article includes a short video clip from Dick DeVos' 2002 speech to the Heritage Foundation about pro-voucher strategy.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/4/20/232844/831 Voucher Advocate Betsy DeVos, Right-Wing Think Tanks Behind Koch-Styled Attack on PA Public Schools (2011)
This was the first article in a series on the national pro-voucher movement and is focused on the money and organizations behind the pro-voucher efforts in Pennsylvania including the Students First PAC and the Betsy DeVos-led American Federation for Children.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/4/24/22559/1547 Pro-Voucher Astroturfing: Campaigns Across Nation Coordinated by DeVos, Funded by a Few Mega-Donors (2011)
Part Two in this series tracks millions of dollars contributed to American Federation for Childrens' Indiana PAC in 2010, and then distributed to pro-voucher efforts in several states.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/4/26/112152/230 Betsy DeVos Announces PA Governor Tom Corbett Will Keynote Pro-Voucher National Policy Summit (2011)
The article also includes information on the funding of media attacks against a PA Senator opposing the school vouchers bill.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/5/25/84149/9275 Vouchers/Tax Credits Funding Creationism, Revisionist History, Hostility Toward Other Religions (2011)
Through corporate tax credit programs in Pennsylvania, Florida, and other states, private schools are receiving public dollars. Many of these schools are using A Beka and Bob Jones University textbook series, teaching Creationism and hostility toward Roman Catholicism and non-Christian religions.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/6/27/151131/081 Preview of "School Choice: Tax-Payer Funded Creationism, Bigotry and Bias" (2011)
A 34-minute video on Pennsylvania private schools receiving corporate tax credit funding while teaching from textbooks that promote creationism, revisionist history, and hostility toward Roman Catholicism and non-Christian religions. The article includes the full 34-minute video and a 6-minute preview.
Also see my article on the Devos-led American Federation of Children and the network of national nonprofits behind school privatization at Political Research Associates.
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