President Donald Trump wants to abolish the Department of Education to “provide children and their families an opportunity to escape a system that is failing them.” On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order to begin shutting down several functions of the Department of Education.
The idea of eliminating the education department has been floated by Republicans for nearly as long as it has existed. More recently republicans have accused the Education Department of pushing what they describe as “woke” political ideology onto children, including on gender and race.
What does the Department do?
The Department of Education does oversee student loan programmes and administers Pell grants that help low-income students attend university. It also helps fund programs to support students with disabilities and for students living in poverty. And the department enforces civil rights law designed to prevent race or sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools.
“One of President Donald Trump’s top aims is to dismantle the Department of Education, and in the opening days of his second term, he signed an executive order to begin taking apart the agency that administers student loans for thousands of borrowers, runs programmes to help low-income children, and oversees some funding for public schools,“ writes Ana Faguy for the BBC.
How will it affect students?
“It’s not smart because we need more education, not less education and if he gets rid of it it can affect the U.S.” says Freshman Jimena Rueda.
Abolishing the Department of Education can make a major impact on students and their future. It could impact students with disabilities with them facing discrimination and lose specialized support.
The Department of Education also plays a role in upholding the civil rights of students with disabilities. It ensures that students are not discriminated against based on their disability and that they have access to the same educational opportunities as other students. Students with disabilities could face increased challenges in securing the accommodations they need to participate in school activities, leading to further isolation and disadvantage.
“Yes [the government] should keep it for sure because people need to learn more not less” says Jimena Rueda
Students attend school to gain essential knowledge in subjects like reading, writing, and math, and to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and social skills crucial for adult life, future career opportunities, and personal fulfillment.
Education means studying in order to obtain a deeper knowledge and understanding of a variety of subjects to be applied to daily life.
How likely is it that the Department of Education is getting shut down?
Although Donald Trump and some Republicans have advocated for eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, a complete shutdown is unlikely because it requires congressional approval that is difficult to secure. Instead, the Trump administration is expected to continue trying to dismantle its functions through executive actions and staffing cuts.
Since the federal government is currently in a shutdown, the Education Department has immediately furloughed 95 percent of its employees, excluding those with the Federal Student Aid Office. The shutdown follows a year of significant staff cuts and reorganization within the department under the Trump administration.
To legally and completely shut down the Department of Education (DOE), Congress would need to pass a new law specifically abolishing it. This is because Congress created the DOE through legislation, and the President does not have the constitutional authority to dissolve a federal department on their own through an executive order. The process would involve the following steps and significant legislative and administrative hurdles.
