Betsy DeVos Says She's 'Misunderstood,' Then Struggles To Explain Her Own Policies

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had one of the most contentious confirmation hearings of the Trump administration, with two Republicans voting against her nomination . On Sunday night, she told Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes that shes more misunderstood than anything .

However, in the very same interview, the billionaire advocate for school choice, which allows taxpayer funds for public education to be channeled to other schools, including private religious-based institutions, struggled to provide data backing up her signature issue.

DeVos claimed that when kids opt to go to private or charter schools, public schools also improve. Then, DeVos admitted she didnt know if that happened in her home state of Michigan , where she has long advocated for such programs.

Heres the exchange:

Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos struggles to answer fairly basic questions on school performance on 60 Minutes pic.twitter.com/lFVq3USwUW

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Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos struggles to answer fairly basic questions on school performance on 60 Minutes pic.twitter.com/lFVq3USwUW
Axios (@axios) March 12, 2018

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Have you seen the really bad schools? Maybe try to figure out what theyre doing? Stahl asked.

I have not, DeVos confessed. I have not. I have not intentionally visited schools that are underperforming.

Maybe you should, Stahl suggested.