Donald Trump visits Grand Rapids as part of 'thank you' tour 34

Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump's choice for education secretary, speaks at a post-election Trump rally in Walker in December 2016.

(MLive.com files)

ANN ARBOR, MI - The Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education is calling on U.S. senators to reject Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education, based on what one trustee described as DeVos' "open hostility to the students she is nominated to serve."

The trustees unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday, Jan. 25, citing reasons they find DeVos unfit for the position and asking President Donald J. Trump to make a new nomination.

The Secretary of Education should avoid a privatization agenda that transfers taxpayer money to private schools and charter schools, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of educational issues, promote equality for LGBTQIA students, maintain the boundary between church and state and uphold current laws related to reporting on-campus sexual assault and banning guns in schools, according to the AAPS resolution.

"Betsy DeVos possesses none of the previous qualifications, nor does she have any experience in public education at any level, does not possess a degree in any educational field, has never attended a public school, nor has she ever sent her children to a public school," the resolution states.

Trustee Jessica Kelly drafted the resolution, modeled after one the East Lansing board of education passed earlier this week. Also, more than 1,000 Calvin College alumni and students recently signed a letter stating why they think their fellow alumna DeVos isn't qualified to be Secretary of Education.

"I understand that this may seem like an unusual action for a school board to take," Kelly said as she presented the resolution. "But it is a response to the most unusual nomination of a person to lead a federal department who has no relevant skills or experience, but instead has expressed open hostility to the students she is nominated to serve."

Board President Christine Stead said it was important for the board to take action on the resolution Wednesday, prior to the vote on DeVos' nomination on Jan. 31.