Tim Sheehy’s Attacks on Montana’s Public Schools Continue to Face Scrutiny

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 17, 2024

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rehm@mtdems.org

HuffPost: “Today, roughly 90% of students in kindergarten through 12th grade attend public school in Montana, totaling about 150,000 children”

Helena, MT – Wealthy out-of-stater Tim Sheehy continues to come under fire after audio reporting revealed his dangerous plan to shutter the Department of Education, which would strip critical funding from Montana’s public schools. Sheehy’s plan would be especially devastating because “roughly 90% of students in kindergarten through 12th grade attend public school in Montana, totaling about 150,000 children.” 

Read the latest reporting from HuffPost for yourself: 

HuffPost: Montana GOP Senate Candidate Says Dept. Of Education Is Meant To 'Indoctrinate And Enslave'
By Igor Bobic
October 16, 2024

• Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy of Montana wants to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, claiming it is meant to “indoctrinate and enslave” students across the country, according to The Daily Montanan.
   

• “We have a Department of Education, which I don’t think we need anymore,” Sheehy said at a campaign stop in Billings earlier this year, according to audio clips obtained by the outlet. “It should go away. That’ll save us $30 billion right there.”
   

• “We formed that department so little Black girls could go to school down South and we could have integrated schooling. We don’t need that anymore,” he added.
   

• Today, roughly 90% of students in kindergarten through 12th grade attend public school in Montana, totaling about 150,000 children. 
   

• Sheehy, a wealthy GOP businessman seeking to oust Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in November, has used similar language to criticize women who fear the loss of their reproductive rights.
   

• “They’ve been indoctrinated for too long,” Sheehy said at another campaign stop last year. “Abortion is their No. 1 concern. It’s all they want to talk about. They are single-issue voters.”
   

• Tester slammed his GOP opponent and vowed to protect the public school system on Tuesday.
   

• “Tim Sheehy doesn’t give a damn about our public schools. I’m a proud product of Montana’s public schools and a former public school teacher—and I’ll fight to protect them with all I’ve got,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.
   

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