The leader of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, has expressed that her members are largely unconcerned about the potential abolition of the Department of Education. During a recent interview, she stated that many of her colleagues do not see the importance of the department’s bureaucracy.
Weingarten pointed out that the American Federation of Teachers opposed the establishment of the Department of Education back in the 1970s, believing that educational matters should be managed within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Her remarks follow the introduction of a bill by South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds, which aims to dismantle the Department of Education and shift its responsibilities to other federal entities.
The proposed legislation, known as the Returning Education to Our States Act, seeks to allocate funds and educational responsibilities to various departments, including Interior, Treasury, and Health and Human Services. Although Weingarten appears indifferent about abolishing the federal department, she emphasized the critical need for federal funding to support schools.
In response, Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project, suggested that Weingarten might have misunderstood the bill’s intentions. He highlighted that the proposal would actually channel funding back to the states as block grants for education.
DeAngelis remarked, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day. I’m glad Randi Weingarten and I can agree on one thing: it’s time to abolish the bureaucratic mess that is the Department of Education.” He expressed hope that with Weingarten’s alignment on this issue, other Democrats might consider supporting the majority view in Congress. He described the Department of Education as an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy, advocating for a return of educational control to the states.
Former President Trump has indicated his support for dismantling the department, promising to focus on transferring education responsibilities back to state governments. This shift aims to reduce waste and increase local oversight in educational affairs.
