Accompanied by enthusiastic students, Betsy DeVos, the U.S. Secretary of Education, and Ivanka Trump, had a memorable experience at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. They interacted with moon rocks and explored an astronaut’s spacesuit. The purpose of their visit was to engage with mostly African-American and mostly female students from district and charter schools in Washington and the surrounding areas. This initiative was part of the Women’s History Month activities organized by the museum, with the aim of inspiring girls to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
As Ivanka Trump looked out at the students, she asked those who were passionate about STEM to raise their hands. A sea of hands went up, and this filled her with hope. However, she acknowledged that the current statistics are not promising. Despite women making up almost half of the overall workforce, they represent only 26 percent of STEM workers. Research indicates that girls lose interest in STEM between 4th and 12th grades, with particularly low representation in computer science courses. Ivanka encouraged the girls in the audience to defy these statistics and promote the involvement of women in STEM fields. She shared that she would be taking a coding class with her 5-year-old daughter Arabella during the summer. Additionally, she addressed the male students, urging them to empower their female classmates and work together to eliminate the longstanding barriers that exist.
Betsy DeVos also spoke to the students, emphasizing that success knows no gender or race barriers. She encouraged them to believe in themselves, work hard, and stay true to their convictions. DeVos disclosed that she mentors a teenage girl in her hometown and encouraged the students to consider mentoring a younger sibling or relative. She highlighted the impact they can have on their lives by being a positive influence and encouraging them to pursue their dreams.
Following the presentations, the students had the opportunity to watch the movie "Hidden Figures," which depicts the true story of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician whose calculations played a vital role in NASA’s mission to put an astronaut into orbit around Earth. Ivanka Trump expressed her admiration for Johnson and the other women on her team. She stated that their significant contributions were recognized by President Trump, who recently signed a bill authorizing $19.5 billion for NASA and establishing human exploration of Mars as a key objective for the agency. DeVos added that there might be someone in the audience who will be part of that momentous mission.
Despite these encouraging remarks, there is a contradiction in Trump’s budget proposal, which includes the closure of NASA’s Office of Education along with other educational initiatives that promote STEM for girls. This discrepancy did not go unnoticed as Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, criticized DeVos and Trump’s visit. She accused them of pretending to be interested in STEM careers while eliminating funding for NASA’s education programs. In response, DeVos tweeted about the incredible experience the students had and emphasized the potential of a STEM education to create remarkable possibilities.