US education department offers buyout that employees call ‘beyond misleading’
GuardianFEB 19
US Dept. of Education Offers $25K Buyout to Employees
Above: US Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Hearing to examine her nomination at the Dirkesn Senate Office Building on Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Ricky Carioti/Contributor/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
This plan is a brilliant move to gut a corrupt agency that's failed American kids. The ED, a bloated, problematic institution, has overseen a drop to 40th in global education rankings while spending more per pupil than any other nation. While Trump can't abolish it outright, he's implementing his duty to slash as much of its woke essence as possible until Congress steps up and abolishes it entirely.
Democratic narrative
Critics of the ED have rightly pointed to its need for some reform, but their faith should not be placed in Trump's end-it-all approach. Despite its flaws, the ED ensures civil rights enforcement, funds for low-income and disabled kids, and vital data — roles that states can't fully replace. Dismantling it risks unequal education access and chaos, hitting vulnerable students hardest while solving little.