Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos thinks the department she led should be abolished.
Devos, who spent four years as education secretary during the Trump administration, made the remarks at the inaugural Mothers for Freedom Summit on Saturday, according to the Florida Phoenix.
“I personally think the Department of Education should not exist,” DeVos told the mostly conservative crowd in Tampa, Florida.
DeVos was a leading advocate of “educational freedom” during her administration, promoting vouchers to allow families to choose a school for their children.
In a speech in 2020, she said: “I am fighting against anyone who wants the government to be everybody’s parent.”
Moms for Liberty is a conservative group that gained national notoriety for its opposition to children wearing face masks in school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The local news outlet also reported that meeting attendees received tips on how to recruit, promote and support conservative candidates for school boards.
DeVos is not the first conservative figure to propose eliminating the federal agency charged with overseeing schools. A group of House Republicans backed a bill last year that would have eliminated the Department of Education.
Congressman Thomas Massey (R-Ky.) introduced the bill in February 2021 with co-sponsors including Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Lauren Bobert (R-Colo.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
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“Schools must be held accountable,” Massey said in a statement at the time. “Parents have the right to choose the most appropriate educational option for their children, including home school, public school or private school.”
Devos’ remarks come as schools have become a battleground for politicized culture wars, with Democrats and Republicans battling over issues such as critical race theory, LGBTQ rights and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) campaigned on a promise to give parents a stronger voice in schools, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sparked a national backlash by signing a bill barring teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
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