U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) is backing one of President-elect Donald Trump's most incendiary promises for his upcoming administration: to shut down the U.S. Department of Education.

In a year-old video making its rounds on social media, Trump announced that a goal "very early" in his administration would be "closing up" the Department of Education, sending all education-related decisions back to the states. Trump claimed the department, founded by then-President Jimmy Carter in 1979, facilitated the nation's decline in education performance and that education bureaucrats "in many cases, hate our children.'

The video's circulation led to mass lamentation from those backing the Education Department, claiming the move would irreparably harm the nation's schools.

One person not offended by Trump's proposal was billionaire X owner and Trump surrogate Elon Musk, who shared a sardonic meme mocking Carter and the Department of Education.

The meme received terse yet definitive support from Tuberville, who responded simply with, "Shut it down."

The Education Department accounts for roughly 14% of all education funding in the United States. Supporters of the agency claim that shutting it down would lead to massive funding cuts and even school closures nationwide.

Shutting down the Department would require an act of Congress. However, with the GOP holding the presidency, Senate and projected majority in the House, the plan is not out of the realm of possibility.

An August Pew Research survey found that only 44% of Americans have a favorable view of the Department. The divide gets more stark when broken down between party lines, with 62% of Democrats favoring the Department compared to only 27% of Republicans.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.

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