Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) doubled down on her push to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, claiming in a Thursday interview that “crazy insane women” had ruined the federal agency. Speaking on Real America’s Voice, Greene defended her legislation to defund the Department of Education, arguing that its elimination would return control of schooling to state governments.
“This is a very simple concept,” Greene insisted. “Ending the Department of Education transfers the power back to the states and allows the states to have all the money, keep it themselves, to fund education in their state.” She framed her proposal as a key effort to shrink federal oversight and cut spending.
“This is one of the most important things we can do to shrink the size of the federal government, rein in the out-of-control policies, practices, and spending of the federal government,” she continued. Greene then singled out American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten as an example of the “crazy insane women” she believes have too much influence over education policy.
“Take it out of the hands of crazy, insane women like Randi Weingarten, the president of the teachers union, and put it back in the states where parents can have more control over their children’s education,” Greene said. She also claimed President Donald Trump supports the idea, saying, “We feel like this is the right thing to do and so does President Trump, who is definitely looking.”
However, Weingarten is not a federal employee, nor does she run the Department of Education. She leads the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a national labor union founded in 1916—more than six decades before the Education Department was even established in 1979.
Despite Greene’s argument, the Department of Education plays a significant role in funding and oversight. While it does not directly control local school curricula, it administers key programs such as Title I, which provides aid to schools in lower-income communities, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures resources for students with disabilities.
Additionally, the department collects and analyzes data on student achievement and higher education, providing transparency to taxpayers. It also manages $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt and oversees financial aid programs.
Greene’s push to abolish the department aligns with a broader conservative effort to decentralize education policy, but critics argue that eliminating it would jeopardize essential programs that support millions of students nationwide.