American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten expressed a surprising indifference towards the potential elimination of the Department of Education during a recent MSNBC interview. Her comments followed President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of WWE co-founder Linda McMahon to head the department and the introduction of a bill by Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) to abolish it entirely.
Weingarten stated that her union members aren't concerned about the department's existence, recalling the AFT's initial opposition to its creation in the 1970s. They believed education should remain under the purview of the then-Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to address the needs of the "whole child."
While seemingly open to the department's dissolution, Weingarten strongly emphasized the importance of continued federal funding for schools, particularly for disadvantaged students. She criticized Senator Rounds' bill, arguing that it would remove crucial financial support for low-income children and hinder efforts to create equal opportunities.
Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project, countered Weingarten's interpretation of the bill, suggesting she may have misunderstood its provisions. He clarified that the proposed legislation would return funds to states as block grants specifically designated for education, rather than eliminating funding altogether. DeAngelis welcomed Weingarten's apparent openness to abolishing the department, seeing it as a potential opportunity for bipartisan support to streamline education and increase local control.
Trump previously expressed his intention to dismantle the Department of Education during his campaign, advocating for returning control of education to individual states. This recent bill and Weingarten's unexpected stance have reignited the debate over the department's future.
