During a hearing before Congress last month, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was questioned about her suggestions for funding in the U.S. Department of Education.

One decision was to cut eighteen million dollars in funding from the Special Olympics, among many other questionable funding decisions. Aside from this act, which is equivalent to the turning of dalmatian puppies into a fur coat like some kind of cartoon villain, there are a many other nefarious acts DeVos had listed in her testimony.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Trump administration proposed to cut seven billion dollars in funding to the U.S. Department of Education this year. Every time a budget cut has been proposed in the past, Congress would refuse by sending more funding towards education, so you would think the Trump administration would take the hint.

Among these actions, DeVos proposed that schools should increase class sizes and employ fewer teachers. In an article by Education Post, it was said that DeVos stated, “Students may be better served by being in larger classes if by hiring fewer teachers, a district or state can better compensate those who have demonstrated high ability and outstanding results.”

An eloquently stated sentence like that could fool most into believing the Trump Administration wants what’s best for the country’s youth education. In reality, they want the student-to-teacher ratio to increase so that the government wouldn’t have to pay as many teachers and send the funding elsewhere. I wouldn’t put it past a government run by a businessman and upper-class cabinet members.

A smaller student-to-teacher ratio is preferable for a multitude of reasons. Smaller class sizes are easier for teachers to handle and give more time and attention to each student individually. This prevents students from being forgotten or their education being neglected by a teacher that has too much on their plate. Colleges will purposely brag about their student-to-teacher ratio because they know students prefer a more attentive learning setting. This also prevents teacher burnout and encourages teachers to continue in their profession for longer.

There also is the issue of DeVos knowing very little about public education and her willingness to learn these things. Her kids went to a private school and never had to deal with the substandard amount of funds that many public schools have to work around. Her idea to privatize public schools is a whole other door that doesn’t need to be opened because that would just turn education into a corporation with money-making at the forefront and concern for student learning at the back.

Now, unpopular opinion, DeVos is not the villain in this situation. She is simply a puppet and mouthpiece for the selfish and money-driven Trump administration. However, for all we know, DeVos could agree completely with these propositions and really be taking money away from people like some cartoon villain. Do some of your own research and decide for yourself.