Education Dept. should be made efficient, not dismantled: Union president

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

03/24/25 7:23 AM ET


(NewsNation) — Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, warned that dismantling the Department of Education could have severe consequences for students across the nation, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the department, vowing to return control to states and local communities. The Trump administration argues the current system has failed students, citing stagnant math and reading scores since the department’s creation in 1979, despite rising education spending.

Weingarten said that while the department under former President Joe Biden’s administration “did not do a good job,” the agency shouldn’t be dismantled but rather made efficient. “My union actually didn’t want the Department of Education in the first place. We thought it should stay as HEW (Health, Education, and Welfare) but now that we have it, we can’t throw the baby out with the bath water,” Weingarten said Sunday on “NewsNation Prime.”

Weingarten said that federal education dollars, which she described as “one out of every $9 that kids get,” support essential services including special education, after-school programs and resources for rural schools. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with $100 billion that the Federal Department of Education is now charged with getting out to the states,” Weingarten said. “That funding funds huge opportunity gaps in states.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/5210089-dismantling-department-education/

[ChazII]

1. k&r n/t

[sakabatou]

2. "Don't care, killing it now." -Donnie, probably

[BigmanPigman]

3. The NEA supported the Dept of Education

back in the 70s under Carter. The AFT didn't support it. Two teachers' unions with two different opinions. I was in the NEA and I like them better. Why does this AFT union leader say Biden didn't do a good job? I want to know the list of facts/reasons why she thinks this or is she just stating her personal opinion.

https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/opinion-the-u-s-department-of-education-at-25-a-history-remembered/2004/10

[kimbutgar]

4. I think the teachers should do a national sfrike day and make millions of parents have to stay home and care for

Them. It’s like an economic boycott for the working class.

We need an educated society to advance forward not return to abusing child labor like Mrs huckleberry has done in . Arkansas.

[JT45242]

5. Biden put money in department of education...this woman is an idiot

Without the recovery acts that specifically slated billions of dollars to schools there would have been massive layoffs.

Oklahoma used federal funds to hire thousands of teachers, primarily in lower grades, to try to level opportunity gaps and get as many kids as possible to read at grade level.

This woman criticizing the Biden administration is likely sour grapes because she was talked to about for the secretary of education job and not given it.

She has an axe to grind against Joe.

Funny how when the department of education was filing amicus briefs that supported her, she wasn't critical.

[maxsolomon]

6. The MFer Admin's issue with the Dept of Ed is IDEOLOGICAL, not efficiency.

and Weingarten knows it.

Always with the generic shots at the Biden Admin. No one has specifics to bitch about because it's BS.