Thousands of people have signed a petition supporting the idea of having NBA superstar LeBron James replace current Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
"LeBron James is an inspiration to kids all over the country,” the petition declares. “He's shown he cares about America's youth and understands the power of public education in helping children meet their true potential."
The petition has been signed by nearly 8,500 people as of 6 a.m. Thursday. That number climbed to nearly 11,000 signatures by 11 a.m.
“Betsy DeVos was hired without ever setting foot in a public school -- and she's taken every opportunity to work against the interests of the children, teachers, and families she has pledged to serve,” the petition says. “We certainly deserve better!”
This push comes just days after President Trump controversially tweeted Friday suggesting that James isn’t smart: “Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!”
The petition's creator sums up their case with the following message: “I know that's it's unlikely that Lebron James would give up his highly successful career — especially since he has been generous enough to use that influence to be an inspirational community and youth advocate for millions. Even more unlikely is that Lebron would ever stand to work for Donald Trump and his hateful rhetoric ... but it's worth a try!”
LeBron recently opened his I PROMISE school in Akron, calling it one of the best days in his life.