Arizona schools chief supports closure of US Department of Education

Nov 21, 2024, 5:00 AM | Updated: 6:56 am

Arizona Superintendent Tom Horne believes education should be left up to the states. (Pexels Photo)

(Pexels Photo)

PHOENIX — Arizona’s top schools official is not a fan of the U.S. Department of Education and wouldn’t shed any tears if it gets shuttered.

“I’ve always felt like the federal Department of Education does more harm than good,” Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

Horne addressed the issue amid speculation that President-elect Donald Trump would dismantle the federal education agency. Trump has nominated Linda McMahon, who is married to WWE mogul Vince McMahon and is a former executive with the wrestling company, to serve as education secretary.

Horne discusses federal education funding

Horne addressed concerns that Arizona and other states would lose federal funding if Trump closes the U.S. Department of Education.

“That funding is passed by the Congress — the House of Representatives and the Senate — and they represent the people in their states and districts. And funding for education is very popular among the public, so I don’t think they’ll agree to cut the funding,” he said.

Horne also said the money spent to run the U.S. Department of Education would go to better use if it went directly to the states.

“I found them to be sometimes irrational, and I think I can do a heck of a better job than they do with the money that’s spent on them,” he said.

Horne says federal education civil rights enforcement isn’t needed

Horne also said there is no reason for the federal education agency to be regulating civil rights.

“We have civil rights enforcement in our own Attorney General’s Office,” said Horne, who is leading an effort to enforce a ban on transgender girls playing on girls’ school sports teams,

For example, Horne pointed to a federal directive to let transgender girls play in girls’ sports and use girls’ locker rooms.

“That’s completely crazy,” he said. “That came out of the civil rights department at the federal department.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Balin Overstolz McNair contributed to this report.

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