Donald Trump has vowed to shut down the U.S. Department of Education during his first term and his 2024 presidential campaign. Since then, he has put out many executive orders, but without a Congress, a Senate, and a House controlled by the same party as Trump, nothing will be done. There have also been vowed many lawsuits against the dismantlement of the U.S. Department of Education by states and other organizations. 50% of the U.S. Department of Education will be impacted if it goes through all the procedures, according to the official U.S Department of Education website. More than $200 billion has been commanded from the agency, which has many parents, students, teachers, policy experts, and politicians wonder and plan what the future holds for children and communities, according to a Teen Vogue article b, , , , , , , and
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education brought back its enforcement office, which protects students who receive federal aid from being put through fraud and abuse. Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education will put America’s public school system at risk and the rights and well-being of millions of children at risk. History shows that those with disabilities, students who are Black, Brown, and Indigenous, those who experience homelessness, immigrants, and low-income families would suffer the most. If the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education happens, students of all ages could face a more divided, unequal system that restricts opportunities instead of creating them. Project 2025 also plans to eliminate public service loan forgiveness, which would severely impact students who are hopeful for a career in education, health care, and government, according to a Teen Vogue article by Stephanie Hall.
So, what would happen to our school system if the US Department of Education were to shut down?
Really, not much for now. Long term, it has been shown that it is harder to predict because of the many possibilities of this. The impact isn’t really felt immediately on what students learn. But whether schools can pay for the equipment for students with disabilities, the tracking of students’ academic achievements (which is run by the Institute of Education Sciences,) and free or reduced-priced school lunches are the bigger concerns.
An immediate shutdown, though, could also interrupt tens of billions of dollars in K-12 school funding, according to a Reuters article by Andrea Shalal. The administration’s purpose for the department would do nothing for public schools. Instead, it will create a public education system that lessens the assurance that America’s children receive the education they deserve under federal law.
Now, there are two paths before us. One will lead us to the hard-won gains of ensuring that every student will be able to access high-quality education, no matter what gender or race or disability they have.
The other will throw us back into a time of cruelty and neglect. For the record, most of the K-12 money goes to federal programs, but Trump has called for shifting those functions to the states. But, in studies, it has been shown that 15% of federal aid for K-12 schools goes to Republican states, while 11% goes to Democratic states, according to a Reuters article by Jeff Mason and James Oliphant. Trump has made a vague push against what conservatives view as “liberal indoctrination” in university-level and K-12 schools. Battles over the K-12 curricula, though, have risen during the 2020 pandemic, which made parents confront school boards nationwide.
Reviewing all of this information, I don’t agree with any of this at all. Eliminating the Department of Education could seriously affect my high school experience and my college experience as well. I don’t understand the point of any of this since it’s totally illegal and is going to harm millions. I genuinely feel bad for the people going to college this year since it seems like they are the most affected ones.
What’s your personal opinion on this issue? Tell us in the comments!
