Sinquefields met with Education Secretary DeVos

St. Louis philanthropist, political megadonor and education reform advocate Rex Sinquefield met privately Tuesday with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Sinquefield was joined by his wife, Jeanne, and Travis Brown, chief executive officer of First Rule, Sinquefield’s media organization, according to a description of the meeting provided to the Post-Dispatch by the Department of Education.

“The group discussed innovation grants, distance learning, school choice and digital programs in schools,” said Education Press Secretary Liz Hill. “The group also discussed innovative career and technical education programs in Missouri.”

In her first four-plus months on the job, in which she has become a lightning rod of sorts in the president’s new Cabinet, DeVos has met with widely divergent charter school advocates, including the rapper Pitbull.

Sinquefield was the latest on Tuesday, and the meeting did not go unnoticed by his critics, and those of the secretary.

The liberal, David Brock-founded “dark money” group American Bridge, one of many that does not disclose its source of funding and is gearing up to try to influence the Missouri Senate race in 2018, issued a press release criticizing the meeting and calling Sinquefield and DeVos enemies of public schools.

DeVos has said that allowing parents more choice on where to send their children to school using public funds would better educate children, especially those in poor communities. Her supporters say she’s running up against opposition because she is challenging the status quo and entrenched teachers unions.