By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/mcmahon-says-shutdown-shows-education-department-isnt-needed Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter McMahon says shutdown shows Education Department isn’t needed Education Oct 15, 2025 4:44 PM EDT Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the federal shutdown offers evidence that her agency is “unnecessary.” READ MORE: Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement In a social media post on Wednesday, McMahon said the shutdown has forced agencies to evaluate what work is really needed. She made the comment days after her department started firing hundreds of workers amid mass layoffs across the government. “Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal,” McMahon said. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. McMahon said no federal education funding was affected by the layoffs. READ MORE: How the government shutdown will affect the already shrunken Education Department Advocates say the firings threaten to disrupt the flow of federal money to America’s schools. The cuts eliminated teams that disburse federal money and answer questions on federal education laws. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the federal shutdown offers evidence that her agency is “unnecessary.” READ MORE: Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement In a social media post on Wednesday, McMahon said the shutdown has forced agencies to evaluate what work is really needed. She made the comment days after her department started firing hundreds of workers amid mass layoffs across the government. “Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal,” McMahon said. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. McMahon said no federal education funding was affected by the layoffs. READ MORE: How the government shutdown will affect the already shrunken Education Department Advocates say the firings threaten to disrupt the flow of federal money to America’s schools. The cuts eliminated teams that disburse federal money and answer questions on federal education laws. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now