Just hours after she was confirmed, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon emailed staff and told them to prepare for their “final mission”: dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
Numerous reports indicate that President Trump plans to make it official with an executive order, but the White House at least tentatively paused release of the order after considerable blowback. Every indication—including McMahon’s communication—makes it clear that the administration’s effort to dismantle the Department of Education will proceed.
“Trump and Musk have aimed their wrecking ball at public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Congress created the Department of Education, and only Congress has the power to end it. And the vast majority of Congress—including 60 House Republicans—rejected gutting public education last session, knowing it would only hurt our students.”
NEA will hold a town hall on the administration’s efforts to destroy the Department of Education on Thursday, March 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Register now!
In other action on Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats blocked a floor vote on S. 9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. Once again, the name is misleading: the bill’s true aim is not to strengthen Title IX protections, but to demean and isolate transgender students.
Tell Congress what you think!
In solidarity,
Marc Egan
Government Relations Director
National Education Association
Gutting the department will destroy programs and protections that guarantee educational opportunities for all students—whether funding for schools or support for students with ADHD, autism, and more.
We are also spreading the message against gutting the department via phone calls to Congress! Use this form to make a phone call to your elected leaders. If you would prefer to share your thoughts via email, use the link above.
Join NEA President Pringle for an urgent Zoom meeting to discuss the upcoming Trump Executive Order aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
The first step toward more tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by everyone else, it opens the door to a menu of devastating cuts for the public schools that educate 90% of Americans.
CHEER:Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) reintroduced the Stop Sexual Harassment in K-12 Act to combat sexual harassment, assault, and sex-based discrimination in schools.
