Donald Trump’s controversial pick for Education Betsy DeVos makes the cut after VP Mike Pence is forced to smash tie-break vote after all night stand off

DONALD Trump's pic for Secretary of State for Education Betsy DeVos was nominated to the position by the skin of her teeth on Tuesday.

The controversial choice made the cut thanks to a historical vote by Vice President Mike Pence who brought the yay's to 51 smashing the tie break.

It was the first time in history this move has been made in the US Senate.

Democrats had stayed up all night in a bid to stop her appointment, but failed at the last hurdle.

The news brought immediate comment from teachers unions, who voiced their anger at the choice.

The pick of billionaire DeVos by President Trump has been highly criticised and historians have said she could be the most "hostile choice" in the role since 1867.

She faced ridicule over confirmation hearing, where she appeared to plagarise her answers.

DeVos wrote: “Every child deserves to attend school in a safe, supportive environment where they can learn, thrive, and grow."

It appeared to be almost word-for-word  the commentary of Vanita Gupta, head of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Devision who worked under the Obama administration.

She also seemed to struggle with her answers when being quizzed over her appointment, and showed a distinct lack of knowledge or understanding of the school system.

She couldn’t identify basic education terms at her hearing in January, and when asked about gun laws on school campuses she said they were needed to protect students against grizzly bears.

DeVos also struggled to explain her involvement with her mother's foundation which gave money to an  anti-gay-marriage group, which she said was a “clerical error.”

She is also the first education secretary in the department’s 35-year history who has not gone to a public school and neither have her children.

DeVos, whose family has given millions of dollars to the Republicans, is also anti-teachers’-unions and supports charter schools and school vouchers.

Both of these have been controversial in education circles.

DeVos is a prominent activist and campaigner on education issues, she is one of several Republican figures who criticised Trump during his Presidential campaign, calling him an "interloper".

DeVos has sat on the boards of several companies and served in the 1990s and early 2000's as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

She is chairman of tech investment firm the Windquest Group, Christian issues campaign the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, and the American Federation for Children, which promotes scholarships.

She is a member of the board of the DeVos Institute for Arts Management at the Kennedy Center.

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