Union leader Randi Weingarten recently appeared in a media interview, where she candidly revealed her concerns about the Trump administration’s proposed dismantling of the Department of Education. At the heart of her apprehension is the issue of school choice, which she openly opposes. Weingarten’s main concern is that empowering parents with school choice options could undermine teacher unions. If a child’s educational experience is subpar or a school is underperforming, Weingarten opposes giving parents the option to remove their child, fearing a mass exodus that could lead to school closures.
In the podcast with Molly Jong-Fast, Weingarten expressed her fear that President Trump’s plan to eliminate the Department of Education might channel increased funding into school choice vouchers. She criticized the idea, suggesting these vouchers essentially serve as a “tax credit” for affluent families already investing in private education. “We know, for example, what Texas would do,” Weingarten stated during the interview. “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.”
Weingarten argued that any redirection of the department’s substantial $100 billion funding is likely to either result in sizable tax cuts for the wealthy or be reallocated to states as “block grants” – both scenarios she deems harmful. “And frankly, what we are seeing in all the programs now – in terms of vouchers – they don’t work for kids,” she contended. “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.”
This perspective is typical of liberal positions that purport to extend choice while simultaneously restricting it in the realm of education. Democrats frequently assert their commitment to choice, but their resistance to school choice demonstrates a contradictory stance. Weingarten’s comments reveal a telling admission: the liberal agenda often seeks to limit parental control over educational decisions.
WATCH
In contrast, President Donald Trump’s initiative promotes the empowerment of families to select the best educational paths for their children, unfettered by union constraints. By eliminating the Department of Education, Trump aims to return power and resources to parents and states, fostering an environment where choice and competition can thrive.