Senate Democrats warn McMahon against disbanding Education Department

A group of Senate Democrats urged Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Wednesday to reconsider her attempts to dismantle the Department of Education by allocating responsibilities from the department to four other federal departments.

The plan, which was unveiled last month, attempts to return education to individual states while also dividing some federal responsibilities between the departments of State, Labor, Interior and Health and Human Services.

The senators accused the secretary of making things harder for states, school districts and other educational institutions nationwide that would hurt American families.

“Your brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department — including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding — will undermine public education,” the letter read.

“We urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students,” the senators added.

The letter was led by Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to The Hill. 

The letter also comes after Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for McMahon to resign in an op-ed on Monday, accusing the secretary and President Donald Trump of trying to weaken the department.

The dismantling of the department attempts to make good on Trump's campaign promise to shutter the department and return education to the states.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.