Betsy DeVos is now Secretary of Education. I’d love to say I’m surprised, or shocked, or even outraged. But instead, I’m just tired.

You see, Betsy DeVos’s win, if you can call it that, is nothing new to seasoned educators such as I. We’ve seen our fair share of Betsy DeVoses parade their way through the rapidly crumbling infrastructure of our profession for years, and we’re not beside ourselves with amazement or bewilderment. We’re just damn tired.

Since the start of my career as a public servant to our nation’s children, I’ve experienced and fought against one blow after another. From No Child Left Behind to the increase in standardized testing to the dissemination of teacher’s unions through Right to Work legislation — unions that help protect things like class size, teaching and learning conditions, and salary and benefits needed to attract and retain qualified educators, all of which is essential to providing quality educational opportunities for students — my fellow educators and I have seen our fair share of setbacks and attacks against the well-being of the students we care so deeply about.

So no. We’re not shocked. We’re not throwing our hands up and wondering, “WHY?” or “HOW?” We know why. And we know how.

You see, this whole shtick is not about what’s best for kids at all. It’s not about holding teachers accountable or making sure every child reads on grade level or offering choice to families.

Instead, it’s all about money. Dolla dolla bills, y’all.

It’s all about lining the pockets of companies that produce standardized tests and run for-profit schools with taxpayer funds and donate to senators to ensure a passing vote for confirmation. It’s all about dismantling the public education system — a system that, when run properly and in a manner that equitably provides for all children, costs money, something greedy legislators do not like — brick by brick.

Betsy DeVos’s confirmation does not ignite some otherwise unfueled fire in our spirits to take a stand for our nation’s future. Instead, it does its part to douse the flame that has long been burning in our weary, overwhelmed souls.

That so many people now share our discontent with the way public education has been approached is refreshing. But it also leaves those of us who have been fighting for proper educational reform for years feeling like, “NO SHIT. TELL US ABOUT IT.”

Because we’ve been screaming this from the mountaintops for ages. We’ve been fighting tooth and nail for all children regardless of family income or home life or zip code. We’ve been spending weeknights making calls and writing emails to our representatives, and precious family time meeting with our colleagues and campaigning for politicians who share our vision, and weekends protesting at state capitols. We’ve been in the ring, trying to ensure our children get the attention and services and quality instruction they have a right to as citizens of this great nation.

And yet, here we are. Betsy DeVos is now Secretary of Education.

Make no mistake: The fight is not over for us. We will bear our teeth and unleash our claws and clamp down on what’s best for our children. But this time, we may not be able to lead the charge.

Because we’re tired. And this is a major middle finger to everything we’ve been relentlessly working toward for years.

So those of you who are newly outraged, do us a favor. Pick up the torch and move to the front. If you believe in fair and equal educational services for all children — children with disabilities, children living in poverty, children of affluence, children whose second language is English, children whose very success in life depends on a strong educational foundation — trust our expertise and heed our pleas to rage against the incompetent, inexperienced machine before us.

We need you. We so desperately need you right now. We’ll be right there behind you. We promise. And we’ll even accept the hand-off of the baton in time.

Just after we’ve had a chance to regain our strength. Because w’ere tired. And we need a breather for a minute before leading this race once again.