TAMPA, Fla. — The idea of dismantling the Department of Education is leaving lots of questions.
President Donald Trump has criticized the Department and has said he wants to give education back to the states.
"I'd like it to be closed immediately,” the President said in February.
Newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the Department is not working as intended.
However, more steps would be needed to abolish it.
"It is set up by the United States Congress, and we work with Congress,” McMahon said during a hearing. “It clearly cannot be shut down without it."
ABC Action News wanted to know how educators felt on the issue.
"I teach at a Title I school and a transformation school, so we depend, our students depend on, and our teachers depend on Title I funding from the federal government, and that is to help supplement the things that we're doing for our kids,” said teacher Letecia Nathan.
Nathan shared concern over what this could mean for students and educators.
“With Title I, I think a lot of people don't realize that that also funds like other programs, like students that are in ESE, students with autism, things like that with disabilities, those are funds, and we just want to make sure that those students are also, still receive those funding so that they can get the help that they need as well,” said Nathan.
“Because so much of the federal funding goes through Congress, and I might be very naïve, but I just don’t see how they can do away with special education monies. How you can do away with children that have a 504 plan because that’s the Office of Civil Rights,” said Sarasota County School Board member Robyn Marinelli. “Those things are not going to go away, those protections.”
Marinelli said she's cautiously supportive and optimistic.
"The Department has become so big at the federal level, and when you get so big, how do you really gear it down to the state with giving what each state needs? Because Florida is not Ohio. It's not California, so I think making decisions for Florida students, and as long as we follow all of the laws, the statutes, then we're going to take care of children,” said Marinelli.
"MAKE IT MAKE SENSE"
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone shares the personal stories of five Florida women all diagnosed with breast cancer and all denied coverage for care by their insurance companies.
