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DeVos: States should look to innovation to give families choices; protesters say focus should stay on public schools

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DeVos: States should look to innovation to give families choices; protesters say focus should stay on public schools

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Students

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens to students describe individual projects they are working on during a visit to a Zoo School class Thursday morning.

St. Mary's

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos greets kindergartners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School in Lincoln on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.

Senior Kiara Beltz was one of many LPS zoo school students to wear T-shirts in support of public schools.

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Margaret Reist

At the end of her visit to four Nebraska schools Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said it is in the hands of states and local communities to come up with innovative ways to offer school choice to parents.

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Protesters

Protesters

While U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listened to Lincoln Public Schools leaders and zoo school students touted their programs, protesters lined the A Street entrance to the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday.

DeVos Dr. Seuss

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reads to kindergarteners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Video: LPS leaders answer questions about DeVos visit

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DeVos zoo

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaking with Christian Cook at the Lincoln Children's Zoo. Christian is from Beatrice but comes to Lincoln every day for this program.

Sign

While U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listened to Lincoln Public Schools leaders and zoo school students tout their programs, protesters made their feelings known outside the entrance to the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday.

Choir

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos sits in on a choir practice during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Retired teachers

Barbara Barnawell (left) and Sharon Cech, retired Lincoln Northeast teacher, hold photos of champion of education the late Shirley Chisholm, the United States' first African-American congresswoman, and Jane Goodall, U.N. messenger of peace, on Thursday. The women were part of a group protesting the visit of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. 

St. Mary's

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos greets kindergartners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School in Lincoln on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.

Sign

Steve Holland works on his sign in support of public schools while protesters line 27th Street while U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited the Zoo School on Thursday. Holland's son A.J. attends the school.

DeVos

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos shakes hands with Jason Tran after he presented her with flowers during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Protest

Police said 146 people gathered on A Street on Thursday to protest Betsy DeVos' visit to the LPS Zoo School.

DeVos students

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visiting with Zoo School students on Thursday.

Protesters

Protesters stand outside the Lincoln Children's Zoo during Betsy DeVos' visit on Thursday.

Joel

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos shakes hands with Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel during a visit to Zoo School in September 2017.

Bear mask

Retired teacher Donna Roller wears a bear mask outside as U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning. The mask was in reference to an oft-ridiculed comment by the secretary regarding the possible need for guns to protect kids from bears at a school in Wyoming. 

Zoo

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visits with zookeeper Emma Hazel and sophomore Christian Cook during a visit to the Zoo School Thursday morning.

Students

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens to students describe individual projects they are working on during a visit to a Zoo School class Thursday morning.

Shirts

Students at the Zoo School were wearing many "I Love Public School" T-shirts and shirts with other messages for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday.

Zoo school civic and school board leaders

Betsy DeVos meeting with civic and school leaders at the Zoo School on Thursday.

Protesters

Protesters cross South 27th Street as the group moves to the A street entrance of the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited the Lincoln Public Schools' zoo school.

Video: Betsy DeVos speaking with students

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DeVos

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens to seventh-grade math class at St. Mary's Catholic School.

DeVos in class

Betsy DeVos, secretary of education, visits a math class at the Zoo School on Thursday.

Protest

A few hundred protesters were gathered outside the zoo on A Street on Thursday while Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was inside.

Video: Betsy DeVos at the Lincoln zoo

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DeVos

Students on Thursday tell Betsy DeVos what they like about zoo school: smaller environment, learning to think, follow passions.

DeVos

Students tell Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that they like the Zoo School's diverse, small-knit community and the chance to do research.

Protesters

A handful of protesters were gathered by the Sunken Gardens on Thursday prior to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' visit.

Protest

Donna Kremer (left) engages retired public school teacher Jude Martindale outside of St. Mary's Church before U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos arrived to visit St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Students and DeVos

Students Renna Fielder (from left) and Caleb Hudson speak with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during aDeVos' visit to Zoo School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

DeVos

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos sits next to student Brianna Ross during a visit to Zoo School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Zoo School shirt

Senior Kiara Beltz was one of many LPS zoo school students to wear T-shirts in support of public schools.

Police

Sgt. Ed Sheridan peaks through a fence into the St. Mary's Catholic School parking lot before U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' arrival there as a significant law enforcement contingency kept an eye on things at each of the secretery's appearances in Lincoln, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Zoo school students

Seniors Reuben Erickson (left) and Peter Schack each took a turn describing their experience and feelings about Zoo school to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during her visit there Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Photos: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visits Lincoln

See photos of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' visit to St. Mary's Catholic School and the Lincoln Public Schools Science Focus Program on Thursday.

Protesters

Protesters

While U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listened to Lincoln Public Schools leaders and zoo school students touted their programs, protesters lined the A Street entrance to the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday.

DeVos Dr. Seuss

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reads to kindergarteners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Video: LPS leaders answer questions about DeVos visit

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DeVos zoo

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaking with Christian Cook at the Lincoln Children's Zoo. Christian is from Beatrice but comes to Lincoln every day for this program.

Sign

While U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listened to Lincoln Public Schools leaders and zoo school students tout their programs, protesters made their feelings known outside the entrance to the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday.

Choir

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos sits in on a choir practice during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Retired teachers

Barbara Barnawell (left) and Sharon Cech, retired Lincoln Northeast teacher, hold photos of champion of education the late Shirley Chisholm, the United States' first African-American congresswoman, and Jane Goodall, U.N. messenger of peace, on Thursday. The women were part of a group protesting the visit of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. 

St. Mary's

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos greets kindergartners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School in Lincoln on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.

Sign

Steve Holland works on his sign in support of public schools while protesters line 27th Street while U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited the Zoo School on Thursday. Holland's son A.J. attends the school.

DeVos

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos shakes hands with Jason Tran after he presented her with flowers during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning.

Protest

Police said 146 people gathered on A Street on Thursday to protest Betsy DeVos' visit to the LPS Zoo School.

DeVos students

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visiting with Zoo School students on Thursday.

Protesters

Protesters stand outside the Lincoln Children's Zoo during Betsy DeVos' visit on Thursday.

Joel

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos shakes hands with Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel during a visit to Zoo School in September 2017.

Bear mask

Retired teacher Donna Roller wears a bear mask outside as U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning. The mask was in reference to an oft-ridiculed comment by the secretary regarding the possible need for guns to protect kids from bears at a school in Wyoming. 

Zoo

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visits with zookeeper Emma Hazel and sophomore Christian Cook during a visit to the Zoo School Thursday morning.

Students

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens to students describe individual projects they are working on during a visit to a Zoo School class Thursday morning.

Shirts

Students at the Zoo School were wearing many "I Love Public School" T-shirts and shirts with other messages for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday.

Zoo school civic and school board leaders

Betsy DeVos meeting with civic and school leaders at the Zoo School on Thursday.

Protesters

Protesters cross South 27th Street as the group moves to the A street entrance of the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited the Lincoln Public Schools' zoo school.

Video: Betsy DeVos speaking with students

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DeVos

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos listens to seventh-grade math class at St. Mary's Catholic School.

DeVos in class

Betsy DeVos, secretary of education, visits a math class at the Zoo School on Thursday.

Protest

A few hundred protesters were gathered outside the zoo on A Street on Thursday while Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was inside.

Video: Betsy DeVos at the Lincoln zoo

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DeVos

Students on Thursday tell Betsy DeVos what they like about zoo school: smaller environment, learning to think, follow passions.

DeVos

Students tell Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that they like the Zoo School's diverse, small-knit community and the chance to do research.

Protesters

A handful of protesters were gathered by the Sunken Gardens on Thursday prior to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' visit.

Protest

Donna Kremer (left) engages retired public school teacher Jude Martindale outside of St. Mary's Church before U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos arrived to visit St. Mary's Catholic School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Students and DeVos

Students Renna Fielder (from left) and Caleb Hudson speak with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during aDeVos' visit to Zoo School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

DeVos

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos sits next to student Brianna Ross during a visit to Zoo School Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Zoo School shirt

Senior Kiara Beltz was one of many LPS zoo school students to wear T-shirts in support of public schools.

Police

Sgt. Ed Sheridan peaks through a fence into the St. Mary's Catholic School parking lot before U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' arrival there as a significant law enforcement contingency kept an eye on things at each of the secretery's appearances in Lincoln, Sept. 14, 2017. 

Zoo school students

Seniors Reuben Erickson (left) and Peter Schack each took a turn describing their experience and feelings about Zoo school to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during her visit there Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. 

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People are also reading…

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Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com.

On Twitter @LJSreist.

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Students

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens to students describe individual projects they are working on during a visit to a Zoo School class Thursday morning.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos greets kindergartners during a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School in Lincoln on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017.

Senior Kiara Beltz was one of many LPS zoo school students to wear T-shirts in support of public schools.

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