Democrats have no power and are panicking.
On Friday morning, a group of thirty House Democrats attempted to enter the Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C., to hold a meeting with acting Education Secretary Denise L. Carter. However, their efforts were thwarted by security.
A federal employee stationed at the entrance did not provide clear reasons for why the lawmakers were not granted entry. When Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida questioned whether the security guard was acting on orders or independently, the man insisted he was simply doing his job.
The confrontation escalated as the Democrats gathered around the man, asserting their right to enter the building. They expressed frustration with what they called a lack of transparency in the Trump administration, particularly concerning the Department of Education’s operations.
Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have long criticized the federal Department of Education, advocating for its closure. They argue that education policy should be handled at the state level rather than by a centralized federal agency. President Trump recently declared that if Linda McMahon, his nominee for education secretary, is confirmed, her job should ultimately be to “put herself out of a job” by working to decentralize education.
The situation grew more complicated after 96 members of Congress, led by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., sent a letter to Secretary Carter requesting a meeting. While the department confirmed receipt of the letter, no meeting was scheduled. An aide did manage to get inside and inform security of the lawmakers’ presence, but by the time they attempted to enter, the doors were locked.
This incident coincides with alarming findings from the Nation’s Report Card, which revealed that the majority of American fourth graders are not proficient readers. The latest results, which show no significant improvement since 1992, highlight the failure of our current education system.
Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who served under President Trump, called for a fundamental overhaul of the department. In a recent opinion piece, DeVos argued that the federal bureaucracy has been focused on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives rather than addressing the core needs of students. She called for the elimination of the Department of Education, recommending that education funding be redirected to the states through block grants.
DeVos also emphasized that no child should be stuck in a failing school system, a view shared by many conservatives who believe in local control and school choice.
In a related development, Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has been pushing for significant government spending cuts. Democrats, however, have targeted Musk in protests on Capitol Hill. President Trump reassured lawmakers, telling them that Musk’s actions would be closely scrutinized and approved by the administration.