Kevin O'Leary Blames Unions For Underperforming Students, Says 'I Would Like To Fire Teachers That Don't Perform'

Kevin O'Leary has recently shared his sharp criticism of teacher unions and their role in the performance of U.S. public schools. In a heated CNN debate with political commentators Bakari Sellers and Ashley Allison, O'Leary argued that unions are holding back student progress by protecting underperforming teachers. His comments spark a broader conversation about the state of American education and the effectiveness of federal funding and oversight.

O’Leary’s Argument: Unions Are the Problem

During the discussion, O'Leary pointed to the United States' low standing in international education rankings despite significant spending on public education. “Our reading and math scores are the worst in the G7 and the G20 in terms of how many dollars we spend to advance our children. Why? Unions,” O'Leary said. He argued that unions protect mediocre teachers from being held accountable, which in turn harms student performance.

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“I would like to fire teachers that don’t perform, and I’d like to pay a lot more to the teachers that advance math and reading scores that push our system forward against every G7, G20 country,” O'Leary said. He stated that rewarding high-performing teachers while holding others accountable would help improve overall educational outcomes.

O'Leary's comments were in response to recent federal Department of Education cuts, which he framed as an opportunity to redirect funds to states and empower them to improve education outcomes at the local level.

Pushback From Sellers and Allison

Sellers pushed back on O'Leary's claim that unions are the root cause of poor student performance. Sellers pointed out that some of the lowest-performing states in the country, such as South Carolina and Mississippi, have weak teacher unions or none at all.

"You want to tell me one thing they don't have?" Sellers asked. "Strong teacher unions. So there's no direct correlation between unions and poor school performance."

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Allison, a former teacher, also challenged O'Leary's perspective. She argued that poor infrastructure and lack of funding are more significant issues than union protections. "What happens if you have a corridor of shame where kids go to school and their heating and air don't work? Where their infrastructure is falling apart? Where they have to drink unclean water or they come to school hungry?" Allison said. 

O'Leary responded that the money should be sent to the states and said that is what President Donald Trump is doing. 

The Debate Over Education Funding

The debate took place as the Department of Education began significant workforce cuts. 

Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed the layoffs are part of a broader plan to reduce federal oversight and shift responsibility to the states.

"We wanted to make sure that we kept all of the right people and the good people," McMahon said on Fox News. "The goal is to eliminate bureaucratic bloat while ensuring that federal grants and appropriations are not disrupted."

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Scott Jennings, a CNN senior political commentator, supported O'Leary's position, arguing that current federal oversight has not led to improved student outcomes. He said if the bureaucracy the U.S. has now were doing such a great job, it wouldn't have these terrible reading and math scores.

What's Next for U.S. Education?

O'Leary's remarks highlight the ongoing debate over how to improve public education in the U.S. While he advocates for eliminating union influence and increasing teacher pay based on performance, others argue that deeper structural issues, such as school funding and student resources, need to be addressed first.

The debate underscores the complexity of the U.S. education system and the challenge of balancing teacher accountability with adequate funding and support for schools.

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