President Donald Trump signed the highly anticipated executive order on Thursday, calling for the dismantling of the Department of Education.
Nearing school children, lawmakers, custody advocates and Republican governors across the country, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Trump signed Order. declare “The experiments of dominating American education through federal government programs and dollars, and the bureaucracy that those programs and the support of dollars cannot be explained have clearly failed our children, teachers, and our families.”
“When President Carter founded the federal education division in 1979, it was opposed to his own Cabinet and the American Federation of Teachers, The The The. New York Times Editorial Committee and well-known Democratic Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. History has proven they're right – absolutely right,” Trump said in a speech before signing the order.
The order will “take all necessary steps to promote the closure of the Department of Education to the fullest extent appropriate and permitted by law, and will return powers to the state and community, while ensuring effective and uninterrupted benefits for the services, programs and benefits that Americans rely on.”
“Consistent with Department of Education's authorities, the Secretary of Education shall ensure that federal government-supported programs or activities terminate illegal discrimination that promotes “diversity, equity, inclusion, inclusion” or similar conditions and similar conditions, is subject to strict compliance with federal law and administrative policies.
Before signing the order, Trump emphasized that student loans, Pell grants, Title I funding and resources for children with disabilities will be “fully preserved” and “redistributed to various other institutions and departments that are very well cared for.”
“That's very important [Education Secretary] Linda [McMahon] I know, and it's very important to all of us. But beyond these core essentials, my administration will take all the legal steps to shut down the department,” he said. It's not doing us well. ”
Trump also said he hopes to take the time to praise educators and to allow better conditions for state-level teachers by involving federal agencies.
“Teachers to me are one of the most important people in this country and we are going to take care of them and we don't care if they are in the union or not – that doesn't matter,” he said. “But we're going to take care of our teachers, and I think I believe the state actually cares them better than they are caring for them. [them] Right now. “
Through his campaign, Trump has pledged to eliminate the Department of Education and send power back to his state, his community and his parents. The division was established 45 years ago under President Jimmy Carter and helped the state establish a thriving school system, but the Trump administration claims it has not endured its intended purpose.
At the beginning of Thursday, the White House It's attracting attention What the US Department of Education spent 3 trillion dollars “There's very little to show that,” he said he has had per student spending since its inception. It's increased Over 245% of students during that period, “there are no practical improvements in student achievement.”
Related: Country report cards for US students show continued learning loss since the pandemic
The White House pointed to recent disastrous results from the country's report cards. The lowest level in decadesalmost three-quarters of sixth and eighth graders in six years Not proficient in mathematics10 fourth and eighth graders. Not skilled In reading, 40% of fourth-grade students do not even meet basic reading levels.
At the same time, standardized test scores I don't have it It has improved significantly for decades and in US students Rank Member of the 37 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Mathematics.
“Instead of maintaining the status quo of failing American students, the Trump administration's bold plan will return education to where it belongs, along with individual states that are best suited to manage effective programs and services that benefit their own groups and needs,” the White House said.
While Congressional actions are needed to officially dissolve the Department of Education, President Trump is joking ahead of the confirmation that he “want to get himself out of work” by involving the department in Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon. Before signing the order, Trump once again joked that McMahon “I hope she will be our last education secretary.”
“We're going to eliminate that. Everyone knows it's right, and Democrats know it's right,” he said in his signature. “And I hope they vote for it because they might eventually come before them.”
Shortly after signing the letter, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chairman of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; I said X's post says he will “submit the law” to achieve Trump's goal of closing the department “as soon as possible.”
In a statement, McMahon celebrated President Trump's “history-making actions,” saying it would “free up future generations of American students and build opportunities for success.”
“Education is essentially the responsibility of the state. Instead of filtering resources through the federal deficit layer, the state can take charge, advocate and implement what's best suited to students, families and educators in their communities,” McMahon said. “Closening the department does not mean cutting off funds from those who rely on them. We will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, university borrowers, and others who rely on critical programs. We will follow the law and work with Congress and national leaders to responsibly eliminate bureaucracy by ensuring a legitimate and orderly transition.”
“Today's actions allow us to take a big step forward to our parents and state children to control their children's education. Teachers can go back to teaching basic subjects, organized from heartfelt regulations and paperwork,” she added. “Taxpayers will no longer bear hundreds of billions of dollars in waste on progressive social experiments and abolished programs. K-12s and university students will be freed from the drudgery caused by administrative burdens and achieve success in the future careers they love.”
Related – Linda McMahon: Trump has been appointed to the Department of Education with a “critical final mission” to reduce the DC bureaucracy
Prior to McMahon's confirmation, the department ended nearly $1 billion in grants, reduced millions of wasted spending and DEI projects, eliminated over 2,300 web pages and related materials, launched investigations of state and school districts, began investigations of universities accused of racial preference policies, and allowed men to play on male sports teams.
Shortly after her confirmation, the department announced that it would cut its workforce in half to streamline the department and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
Not everyone is happy with Trump's plan to end the Department of Education. Teacher Union The U.S. Government Employee Federation is a representative exclusively for federal employees of the Department of Education.
“The Department of Education plays an important role in supporting students and their families in schools and universities in all communities in this country, and President Trump's order to eliminate this small but powerful institution will destroy our education system and destroy future generations of students.”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on x @thekat_hamilton.
