(NewsNation) — Is President Trump’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education a long-overdue initiative, or would it create a host of unintended consequences for state governments that would have to fill the breach?
Depends on who you ask. Former Trump campaign surrogate Scotti Nell Hughes says the president’s plan would bring more accountability at the state level.
“If my state legislators are not running my state institutions, then, guess what? I can vote them out of office. I can replace them,” she said on “Dan Abrams Live” on Wednesday. “It’s a lot more difficult to do on a federal level.”
NewsNation political contributor A. Scott Bolden counters that eliminating the independent Education Department and foisting more responsibilities on states could create disaster.
“Some states will do well, some states won’t do well,” he said. “Listen, I’m all for more efficiency, right? But give me a better plan than just gutting DOE illegally.”
Opponents say Trump doesn’t have legal authority to abolish the federal education agency, which dates back to 1979. It has more than 4,000 employees and administers more than $200 billion to fund programs in local schools. It also manages the federal student loan system, among other duties.
