Trump urged to 'put parents back in the driver's seat' by abolishing Department of Education
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice weighs in on President-elect Donald Trump's proposal to end the federal Department of Education and how the department could be improved if kept in place.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice has been frequently floated as a potential pick for President-elect Donald Trump's education secretary, but the same agency she could lead is also one she says should be abolished.
"Parents are the number one driver of student success. Parents were put in the back seat when it came to their kids' education. We need to put them in the driver's seat, and I know that President Trump believes that, too," Justice said Monday on "Fox & Friends First."
"Ultimately, I believe the Department of Education should be shut down. Since it was created, we have only seen plummeting achievement scores, teachers unions having more influence on our kids' education and more global interference in our kids' education. It's no coincidence that kids in Kenya are learning the same type of comprehensive sex education curriculum that they are in New Jersey, so we absolutely need to stop the waste at the federal Department of Education and put parents back in the driver's seat."
TRUMP WOULD NEED CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO DISSOLVE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, EXPERTS SAY
President-elect Donald Trump (L) and Co-founder of Moms for Liberty Tiffany Justice (R) share a moment during the 2024 Joyful Warriors National Summit on August 30, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Trump has floated abolishing the agency, a push that has lingered among conservatives for some time. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) curriculum, sex education and teachers' union concerns have only exacerbated the issue.
Abolishing the agency would be a tough order, however. It would require 60 senators' approval. According to reports, a reconciliation bill defunding bureaucratic positions and education programs is a more likely alternative.
If the Education Department stands, Justice says the incoming Trump administration should take several steps to improve education across the board – abolishing Critical Race Theory and putting an end to the "transgender insanity" in public schools.
The US Department of Education building is seen on August 21, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Tierney L. Cross)
"We want to get back to common sense governance in the United States of America. We want more school choice. Parents have the fundamental right to direct the education of their children. They should have transparency into what their children are learning in school and ultimately have the choice as to where their child is educated," she said.
"President Trump is a really smart guy. He's made amazing picks so far in his cabinet, and I have no doubt that he will find many ways to accomplish the things that he has promised the American people that he will do."
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