Bucking tradition, DeVos declines invite to media conference

WASHINGTON – Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has declined an invitation to speak at an annual conference of the nation’s top education journalists.

Caroline Hendrie, executive director of the Education Writers Association, says the Education Department cited scheduling conflicts. The Education Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

Hendrie says every education secretary before DeVos addressed EWA’s annual conference. She says four of DeVos’ most recent predecessors attended their first year in office.

Hendrie says, “We are just disappointed that Secretary DeVos is not following that tradition.”

Following a contentious confirmation battle, DeVos has tended to avoid the media.

She is not the first administration official to decline an invitation to attend a gathering of journalists. President Donald Trump did not attend the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner.