Scott defends interim post for failed education nominee

Montpelier, VT – A day after the Vermont Senate voted against confirming his nominee for Secretary of Education, Governor Phil Scott stood by his decision to keep Zoie Saunders in the role on an interim basis.

The Senate voted 19 to nine Tuesday against confirming Zoie Saunders as Education Secretary, a result which Scott said disappointed him but did not surprise him. Despite the Senate’s vote, Scott said he will stand by Saunders who he said is the right candidate for the job.

Governor Scott said Saunders fell victim to a “partisan political hit job.” He noted the strong lobbying effort against her confirmation by groups outside the legislature, and agreed with Senators who called out the toxicity surrounding Saunders during Tuesday’s session.

“Senator [Ann] Cummings said it best when she gave her remarks, in terms of the toxic atmosphere and the partisanship,” Scott said. “We thought we were some sort of special snowflake here in Vermont, where things like that didn’t happen, they happen in other states — particularly red states — but it happened right here in Vermont.”

Of the 19 Senators who voted against Saunders’ confirmation, some cited her work in Florida charter schools, and others said her lack of public education experience concerned them.

“When I looked at Mrs. Saunders’ resume, I was concerned, because the brevity of time that she spent in public education did not resonate with what I expected of a candidate for the most critical public education leadership role that we have in our state,” said Sen. Becca White on Tuesday.

Governor Scott says he does not think Senators checked their facts on Saunders, and said that several remarks made in Tuesday’s session about her past were untrue.

Scott pointed to a statement made by Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman, who claimed in a newsletter over the weekend that Saunders’ had ties to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. These claims were disproved, and Zuckerman has since apologized, but Scott said he wished Zuckerman would have retracted his statement before the Senate vote.

“I thank him for admitting to his error over the weekend and the apology he gave,” Scott said. “I might have suggested that he give that at the beginning of the deliberation rather than at the end after the vote, but I wanted to acknowledge that at least he stepped up.”

The Governor also expressed his concern that the scrutiny Saunders faced throughout the confirmation process might deter other candidates from seeking the position in the future. The Education Secretary vacancy originally had 19 applicants, and Scott doubted whether that many would apply were the position opened again.

“I would question, in the future, after seeing this debacle over the last couple of weeks, anyone else who wants to put their name forward,” Scott continued. “I think – I bet there wouldn’t be 19 applying for this position after seeing the way she was treated.

Scott named Saunders the Interim Education Secretary after the Senate vote, and said he has not ruled out the possibility of appointing her to the role on a permanent basis, despite the Senate’s decision.

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