This post is satire. It appears in The New Yorker as a letter written in 2040 by a student whose education was shaped by Betsy DeVos.

Without saying so, it acknowledges her avid support for school choice that includes schools where children learn nothing other than the religious right version of science (dinosaurs and humans living at the same time), and not much else.

An excerpt:

I am the smartest and oldest student in my school so next year I will go to Harvard right away. I will study rules and politics so some day I can make them good like you did. I would not have this amazing scenario of life without you so thank you again to you.

My private school cost my parents lots of big money (they are better at going into banks than me). I got a good education here and did real good. My favorite parts of school are Prayer Class, Pledge of Allegiance Class, Food Eating Time, Run Around Time, Nap Times 1, 2, and 3, and Science (Nap Time 4).

I like my teachers because they are the only ones left. A lot of them went home because they couldn’t stop crying every time we talked. One Run Around Time I ran by Misses Pensky and heard her say to Mister Graham, “it’s only getting worse. These kids are in their twenties and they can’t even identify the colors of traffic signals. We’re all going to die.” The next day Misses Pensky was gone. I do not know where she went. Maybe to pick out a nice box for when she dies to go to sleep in?

Is it funny or sad? Can you really satirize the madness of putting a religious zealot who knows nothing about education other than “choice” in charge of the U.S. Department of Education?