Critics, including teacher union bosses and Democrats, are throwing a fit. Randi Weingarten recently admitted the real reason she doesn’t want the U.S. Department of Education to be eliminated: it may provide dollars to parents for education choice. Big government types like her do not want families to have options.

Why would she oppose education choice? Simple. It threatens teacher unions for two reasons:

First, schools are paid by the pupil. With declining enrollment in many public schools, that means less demand for teachers and administrators. That, in turn, means the union will have a smaller membership, which means less money for the union to assert its political power to demand higher salaries and woke curriculum.

Second, if a child’s teacher is incompetent, or their school is failing academically, Weingarten doesn’t seem to want parents to have an option of pulling their child out of the school. Their focus isn’t on academic excellence, but rather equity, social justice and a work agenda.

FOX News has an eye-opening report:

Randi Weingarten says quiet part out loud: Fears Ed Dept closure will boost school choice funds

Teachers’ union boss Randi Weingarten said during a recent podcast appearance that she is fearful President Donald Trump’s plans to terminate the Department of Education will mean more funding for school choice vouchers, which she decried as a “tax credit” for wealthy families already sending their kids to private school.

Weingarten’s comments came during a podcast interview with Molly Jong-Fast, who spoke with her about the implications of Trump’s spending reforms, particularly his plan to terminate the Department of Education. Weingarten stated that cutting the department’s roughly $100 billion in funding will primarily benefit tax cuts for the wealthy or – “equally pernicious” – be redirected to states as “block grants.”

“We know, for example, what Texas would do,” Weingarten told Jong-Fast. “They’ll use it for vouchers. So they won’t give [federal funding] to the kids who have it now, they’ll just give it for vouchers.”

“And frankly, what we are seeing in all the programs now – in terms of vouchers – they don’t work for kids,” Weingarten continued. “They basically go right now – it becomes a tax credit for people who already are sending their kids to private schools. So it’s income redistribution.”

Proponents of education choice believe that school choice empowers parents to take a more active role in their children’s education. Additionally, supporters of education choice believe that competition will lead to higher academic standards and better outcomes for students.

Moreover, getting rid of the U.S. Department of Education will eliminate bureaucracy and return control to states, where education policy belongs.

Politically, fully eliminating the department faces steep hurdles. Republicans hold a 53-47 U.S. Senate majority, but overcoming a filibuster requires 60 votes. That is unlikely. A 2024 U.S. House vote to abolish the department failed when 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposition. Despite this, Trump could still hollow out the agency through budget cuts, staff reductions, and policy shifts—actions that don’t require congressional approval but could face legal challenges. The administration’s broader agenda, including promoting education choice and reversing Biden-era policies like student loan forgiveness, may also shape how this plays out.

Public sentiment, per a Reuters/Ipsos poll from February 2025, shows 65% of Americans oppose shuttering the department, with 30% in favor. Whether Trump succeeds likely depends on congressional dynamics and his ability to navigate legal and practical constraints, but his initial moves suggest a determined push to reshape federal education policy.

Meanwhile, those in favor of education choice must work hard to promote our message in order to change public opinion. Currently, only about a third of Americans understand how education choice promotes academic excellence and an effective education system by empowering parents, fostering competition, and expanding opportunities.