Betsy DeVos critics are not exactly spellbound by her choice of Halloween costume this year.
The Secretary of Education attended the White House’s holiday celebration on Monday as Ms. Frizzle, the much-loved wacky teacher from the animated series The Magic School Bus.
But those who are opposed to the 59-year-old’s policies think the costume choice was an unintentionally — and offensively — ironic one, charging that DeVos views are and practices are at odds with the character she played for the day.
How dare she?! Betsy Devos’ critics do not approve of her dressing up as Ms. Frizzle for Halloween
![Inspiration: Ms. Frizzle is the teacher from The Magic School Bus, a hit '90s cartoon about a class that goes on magical science field trips](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E0D62900000578-5036661-image-a-99_1509482471469.jpg)
Inspiration: Ms. Frizzle is the teacher from The Magic School Bus, a hit ’90s cartoon about a class that goes on magical science field trips
![Oh, no way! Many fans were insulted by the costume choice](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DDE00000578-5036661-image-m-63_1509480590597.jpg)
Oh, no way! Many fans were insulted by the costume choice
![Not for you! They accused DeVos of being unworthy of wearing the costume](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DF200000578-5036661-image-m-66_1509480675119.jpg)
Not for you! They accused DeVos of being unworthy of wearing the costume
![Shots fired! Even Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin saw a problem, writing that Ms. Frizzle supported science and 'actually had a background in education'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DFC00000578-5036661-image-a-64_1509480668927.jpg)
Shots fired! Even Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin saw a problem, writing that Ms. Frizzle supported science and ‘actually had a background in education’
![Doesn't quite add up... Quite a few Twitter users said the choice was an ironic one](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E0600000578-5036661-image-a-67_1509480698545.jpg)
Doesn’t quite add up… Quite a few Twitter users said the choice was an ironic one
The original cartoon The Magic School Bus aired on PBS from 1994 to 1997 and was often used in classrooms to teach students about science.
The series starred Ms. Frizzle, an eccentric public school teacher who would take her class on field trips in a magical school bus, which was able to travel to outer space, shrink to examine small things close up, and even go inside the bodies of some of the students to explore their organs and bodily functions.
Recently, the show was rebooted on Netflix.
Yet DeVos’ critics have called her out for dressing like the beloved character, charging that she is not worthy to fill Ms. Frizzle’s shows.
‘Betsy DeVos how dare you besmirch the good name and honor of Ms. Frizzle!!!’ wrote New York magazine’s Gabriella Paiella.
‘Betsy DeVos, our children’s worst nightmare, dressed up as Ms. Frizzle for Halloween. This is what we can’t have nice things, y’all,’ tweeted another person.
![Getting into chracter: DeVos wore a dress with a space print and an orange wig](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/19/45D8584A00000578-5036661-image-a-58_1509477004265.jpg)
Getting into chracter: DeVos wore a dress with a space print and an orange wig
![Sacrilege! A few fans of the series called the costume 'blasphemy'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E1200000578-5036661-image-a-68_1509480707428.jpg)
Sacrilege! A few fans of the series called the costume ‘blasphemy’
![Old favorite: Many of those tweeting are millennials who grew up with the PBS show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E0A00000578-5036661-image-a-69_1509480710414.jpg)
Old favorite: Many of those tweeting are millennials who grew up with the PBS show
![High bar: Some people charged that DeVos does not measure up](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DEA00000578-5036661-image-m-78_1509480755753.jpg)
High bar: Some people charged that DeVos does not measure up
![At odds: They pointed out that DeVos' policies don't always match up with Ms. Frizzle's teachings](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E1B00000578-5036661-image-a-71_1509480715892.jpg)
At odds: They pointed out that DeVos’ policies don’t always match up with Ms. Frizzle’s teachings
![Fremdschämen: This young woman searched for a German word to describe how she was feeling](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DEE00000578-5036661-image-m-79_1509480784344.jpg)
Fremdschämen: This young woman searched for a German word to describe how she was feeling
DeVos wore an orange wig for the occasion, which she paired with a dress covered in an outer space print — much like one Ms. Frizzle wore on the show.
‘Betsy DeVos costuming as Ms.Frizzle is the closest she’ll ever be to being a notable educator,’ one person tweeted.
Wisconsin Representative Mark Pocan, a Democrat, shared his own criticism on the social media platform.
‘Unlike @BetsyDeVos, Ms. Frizzle supported science in the classroom and actually had a background in education,’ he wrote.
‘Is there a German word for the feeling you get when you see Betsy DeVos dress up as Ms Frizzle for Halloween?’ asked someone else.
‘Betsey DeVos as Ms Frizzle HOWDAREYOUUUUUUUU,’ added another.
![Not OK with it: One man called DeVos 'our children's worst nightmare'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07DE600000578-5036661-image-m-80_1509480846103.jpg)
Not OK with it: One man called DeVos ‘our children’s worst nightmare’
![Anti: Many tweeted variations of the question 'how dare she'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E0200000578-5036661-image-m-81_1509480856762.jpg)
Anti: Many tweeted variations of the question ‘how dare she’
![Catch up! Some seemed to think that DeVos wasn't too familiar with the character](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E1600000578-5036661-image-m-82_1509480873572.jpg)
Catch up! Some seemed to think that DeVos wasn’t too familiar with the character
![Protest: People called it 'disrespectful' that she wore the costume](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E0E00000578-5036661-image-m-83_1509480893667.jpg)
Protest: People called it ‘disrespectful’ that she wore the costume
![Once again: She has been compared to Ms. Frizzle before](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/19/45D8466A00000578-5036661-image-m-60_1509477017655.jpg)
Once again: She has been compared to Ms. Frizzle before
![Dumbledore please! When she was confirmed earlier this year, many people said the cartoon would be more qualified for the job](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/10/31/20/45E07E2200000578-5036661-image-m-84_1509480902024.jpg)
Dumbledore please! When she was confirmed earlier this year, many people said the cartoon would be more qualified for the job
Several people described it as ironic that DeVos would choose this particular character.
‘Betsy DeVos dressing up as ms frizzle is more irony than I can handle,’ wrote one. Another said: ‘Betsy DeVos knows Ms. Frizzle was a queer teacher in a well-funded public school system, right?’
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time DeVos and Ms. Frizzle’s names have been uttered in the same sentence.
Earlier this year, when DeVos was being confirmed for the job, critics took to Twitter to compare her unfavorably to the fictional character.
Several tweeted that Ms. Frizzle was more suitable for the job, while an article that appeared in the newspaper Education Week pondered what advice the cartoon would have for the Education Secretary.