The Dangerous Future of the Department of Education

Education Policy Brief #95 | By: Evan Wechman | December 08, 2024

Photo by Pixabay

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Policy Summary: 

With President-elect Donald Trump preparing to make radical changes from United States policies under President Biden, there is concern over what will happen to the Department of Education. Trump has not been shy about his dislike of this department which was created by an act of Congress in 1979 under the Carter administration.

“One other thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington D.C. and sending all education and education work and needs back to the states,” Trump said in a video posted to social media back in October of 2023. “”We want them to run the education of our children because they’ll do a much better job of it.”

This opposition is nothing new for the GOP.  Trump continually lambasted the role of the department during his 2016 campaign. Also, the party’s distrust of the Department of Education can be traced back to Ronald Reagan during his first campaign. However, Reagan quickly backed down when he saw he didn’t have the votes in Congress to make any sweeping changes.

First off, abolishing the department would likely require House action as well as a supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate.  Though many democratic Think Tanks believe the country is safe from such action, the fact that Republicans have a majority in both houses has alarmed many progressive advocates.

The role of the Department of Education and that of the states is often misunderstood. Education is primarily a state role but the Department of Education attempts to fill in any holes that arise when there are clear national needs. Such demands include the protection of civil rights and equality for all students.

Policy Analysis:

Congressional Democrats and their constituents have good reason to fear Trump’s dislike towards the department. For one thing, many in his party have said since he won the electoral vote by a wider margin than many predicted, he has a mandate from the American people to govern how he wishes. 

Whether this is true is open for debate, but Trump’s distrust of progressive ideology such as protecting civil rights for the most vulnerable is a serious subject.

For instance, if Trump gets his way and the Department of Education is either abolished or greatly reduced, it would be open season on students who need protection the most. It would leave children who identify as LGBTQ or Transgender in harm’s way.

Trump has said early on in his campaign he would roll back Biden’s Title IX protections which have allowed transgender students to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and pronouns that align with their gender. In addition, he has repeatedly said he would sign an executive order eliminating federal funds for schools teaching critical race theory, speaking openly about the transgender issue, or educating students about any other race or civil rights theories which he disagrees with.

Trump seems intent on following through with his assault on civil rights.  One only must look at his recent selection of Linda McMahon to head the Department of Education.  

McMahon served one year on the Connecticut Board of Education and was appointed by Trump during his first term to oversee the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Though such experience is credible, she will likely serve as a rubber stamp for Trump.  She has been a tireless supporter of his policies while donating millions of dollars to his campaigns. In addition, she served on the America First Policy Institute which advocates against teaching critical race theory.  

It is not too far from a leap to think she would advocate for the elimination or severe underfunding of the Department of Education.

The selection of McMahon is like his other picks and shows he is not looking for any dissent in the areas he wants to radically change.

Engagement Resources

• National Education Association | NEA: Advocates for justice and excellence in public education.
• Education Week – K-12 education news and information: Provides trusted resources for K-12 education news and information.
• Home | U.S. Department of Education: Promotes student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages.

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