Weingarten criticizes Department of Education staffing cuts

Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, expressed strong anger over recent staffing cuts at the Department of Education. The department plans to reduce its workforce from about 4,133 to 2,183 employees. Weingarten criticized the cuts as harmful to students, stating they undermine opportunities for children who cannot vote. She emphasized the department's role in providing essential services like reading specialists and occupational therapists. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon defended the cuts, describing them as a move to eliminate "bureaucratic bloat" and shift power to state governments. She noted that the changes align with the president's directive to eventually shut down the Department of Education.