AFT President Randi Weingarten joined Michael Steele on MSNBC the day President Trump signed an executive order aiming to dismantle the Department of Education.

They discussed the devastating consequences of abandoning the federal role in education—from slashing vital school funding to disrupting the student loan system.

This isn’t just about money,” Weingarten says. “It’s an assault on knowledge, on curiosity, on innovation—on everything our kids need to succeed.” She also emphasized that states already control education through local school boards and state education committees, and that cutting federal support doesn’t enhance state control—it only removes resources essential for student success. Watch the full conversation to understand why we must stand up for public education now.