Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Wednesday argued that the ongoing federal government shutdown underscores the department's uselessness.
She said that public schools continue to operate normally without the federal assist.
In a social media post, McMahon said the "Democrat government shutdown" has forced a reevaluation of what federal duties are essential.
"Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal," she wrote.
McMahon noted that 95% of DOE staff are currently furloughed, causing delays in critical functions such as civil rights investigations conducted by the agency's Office for Civil Rights.
She also pointed to the immediate impact of the shutdown on schools located on tax-exempt land — such as those on military bases or Native American reservations — that depend upon Impact Aid, which has had its funding disrupted.
Many of those institutions might be able to tap emergency reserves, but McMahon warned those will not last indefinitely.
Even apart from the shutdown, the DOE has shed significant staff: The agency recently laid off 466 more workers, pushing its ranks from over 4,000 at the start of the Trump administration to fewer than 2,000.
Critics warn that such reductions threaten oversight and enforcement of federal education laws.
McMahon insisted the cuts will not harm students or schools, arguing that programs such as special education and Title I funding are legally protected and will remain intact.
"No education funding is impacted by the RIF [reduction in force]," she added.
She contended that states, not the federal government, should bear primary responsibility for education.
Her stance aligns with the Trump administration's push to dismantle the DOE.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing McMahon to facilitate closure of the department "to the maximum extent permitted by law."
However, legal and congressional barriers remain.
A federal judge in Boston previously issued a preliminary injunction blocking mass layoffs at the DOE, and the agency's full dismantling would require congressional approval.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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