Article Summary –
President-elect Donald Trump plans to overhaul education in the U.S. by closing the Department of Education, advocating for parental control over children’s education, promoting patriotism, and reintroducing prayer in schools. His proposals align with Project 2025, a right-wing policy agenda aimed at privatizing education and reducing federal antidiscrimination protections. Critics, including legal and education experts, warn that these initiatives threaten funding and protections for disadvantaged schools and marginalized communities, and face significant legislative barriers.
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to enact significant changes in the U.S. education system after taking office.
In a video unveiling his education agenda, Trump vowed to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Established in 1979, this department funds K-12 schools, provides federal financial aid to college students, and enforces antidiscrimination laws in federally funded schools and universities.
“Early in the administration, I’ll shut down the Department of Education,” Trump stated. “We will transfer all educational responsibilities back to the states, as they’ll manage our children’s education far better.”
His agenda emphasizes parents’ rights in education, teaching students patriotic values, and reintroducing prayer in schools.
Trump’s plan aligns with Project 2025, a comprehensive right-wing policy framework developed by the Heritage Foundation and former Trump officials. Although Trump denied familiarity with the document, it lists education reforms as a priority.
Disbanding the department could halt four decades of discrimination protections and sever a major funding stream for schools. While states primarily fund education, the federal department distributes $18.6 billion in Title I grants to disadvantaged schools, as noted in its budget. Recently, it awarded grants to Nebraska, Montana, and other states to enhance literacy.
Skye Perryman, CEO of Democracy Forward, warned, “These are credible threats to public education aimed at privatization and undermining funding.”
Eliminating the department requires congressional approval, including 60 Senate votes, signaling potential challenges. Josh Cowen, education policy professor at Michigan State University, warned of a “new politics of humiliation and exclusion” in education.
This viewpoint was evident when Trump stated his Department of Justice would target schools engaging in “racial discrimination” under the guise of equity, threatening fines up to their entire endowments.
A major component of Project 2025’s education strategy is reversing the Biden administration’s expansion of discrimination protections, which now include LGBTQ+ individuals in antidiscrimination rules.
Cowen remarked, “Trump’s allies oppose oversight for marginalized communities, which could lead to stripping away protections.”
Project 2025 also proposes curtailing affordable student loan plans, eliminating Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and privatizing student loans.
Efforts to introduce school vouchers, funded by state and local governments for private school tuition, faced defeats in Colorado, Nebraska, and Kentucky, as reported by ProPublica. Cowen noted, “Trump supporters rejected vouchers at the polls.”
Arizona’s 2022 school voucher program exceeded its $65 million budget, reaching $429 million, highlighting fiscal challenges, according to ProPublica.
Perryman affirmed Democracy Forward’s readiness to oppose detrimental policies, stating, “The pro-democracy community is stronger now, prepared to challenge unlawful actions and protect democratic rights.”
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