Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Proposal To Eliminate The Department Of Education

June 21, 2018

Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Proposal To Eliminate The Department Of Education

WASHINGTON, DC — Democrats for Education Reform today responded to reports that the Trump administration is expected to unveil a plan to merge the departments of Education and Labor with the following statement from Policy Director Charles Barone:

“At a time when public education is more important than ever, President Trump has dusted off the failed, far-right playbook of 30 years ago to have the federal government do less — rather than more — to help fix our country’s broken public education system.  Make no mistake, this proposal is pure political theater in service of further undermining government’s ability to help people. Congress should swiftly reject this cockeyed idea that would hurt America’s public school children.”

Background on the proposal: In 1995, Republicans in Congress proposed eliminating the Department of Education under Speaker Newt Gingrich’s leadership.  Richard Riley, the Education Secretary at the time, said about the proposal: “I didn’t come here to fight for the bureaucracy… That’s not my nature. But it hits me that to do away with the Department of Education at this particular moment in history would be like doing away with the Department of the Army in the middle of World War II.” [New York Times]

About Democrats for Education Reform
We are a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students, and to confront those that do not.  We are education progressives who will always prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system.  Learn more at www.dfer.org.

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Contact: Erika Soto Lamb, erikasotolamb@dfer.org