Trump Orders Plan to Dismantle Education Department
Introduction to the Plan
President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce a bill to achieve that.
Retaining Core Functions
The department, however, is not set to close completely. The White House said the department will retain certain critical functions. Trump said his administration will close the department beyond its “core necessities,” preserving its responsibilities for Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants and money for children with disabilities. The White House said earlier it would also continue to manage federal student loans.
Criticisms and Concerns
Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal. “This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said. Democrats said the order will be fought in the courts and in Congress, and they urged Republicans to join them in opposition.
Reactions to the Order
Trump’s order is “dangerous and illegal” and will disproportionately hurt low-income students, students of color and those with disabilities, said Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The department “was founded in part to guarantee the enforcement of students’ civil rights,” Scott said. “Champions of public school segregation objected, and campaigned for a return to ‘states’ rights.’” Supporters of Trump’s vision for education welcomed the order. “No more bloated bureaucracy dictating what kids learn or stifling innovation with red tape,” Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, said on social media.
Impact on Education
The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments or eliminated altogether. The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. Currently, much of the agency’s work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, like school meals and support for homeless students. The agency also is key in overseeing civil rights enforcement.
History of the Department
Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents’ groups demand more authority over their children’s schooling. In his platform, Trump promised to close the department “and send it back to the states, where it belongs.” Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of “radicals, zealots and Marxists” who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the plan to dismantle the Education Department has sparked controversy and concern among educators, advocates, and lawmakers. While the White House claims that the department will retain its core functions, many are skeptical about the impact of such a move on the education system. The future of the department and its functions remains uncertain, and it is likely that the issue will be debated in Congress and the courts in the coming months.
FAQs
Q: What is the main goal of Trump’s executive order?
A: The main goal of Trump’s executive order is to dismantle the U.S. Education Department.
Q: Will the department be completely closed?
A: No, the department will retain certain critical functions, such as Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants, and money for children with disabilities.
Q: What are the concerns about eliminating the department?
A: Advocates for public schools are concerned that eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.
Q: How will the department’s functions be handled if it is dismantled?
A: The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments or eliminated altogether.
Q: What is the history behind the idea of closing the Education Department?
A: Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools.
