This is my 30th year of teaching, most of which has been done at two schools in Lake County.

I am both saddened and frightened by the Senate approving Betty DeVos as head of the Department of Education.

Ms. DeVos is an ideologue who demonstrated both woeful ignorance and a lack of compassion for the millions of children who depend on public education during her hearing in the Senate.

I was fortunate enough to receive an excellent public school education, rich in resources and opportunities, in an era when schools were well-funded and California was the flagship model for education for the rest of the country.

Marching bands and orchestras, choices of foreign language classes, school newspapers, field trips and school activities not dependent on fundraising … so many things that are currently extremely rare or simply no longer exist.

Now, the person who should by right defend public education has an agenda to destroy it.

Public schools are important for democracy. Teachers are dedicated to help their students become discerning and critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and we do our best to guide them to be respectful and considerate of others.

At this time, the behavior of many of those in power is anathema to these values, Ms. DeVos included.

Alethea Eason lives in Cobb, Calif.