Trump Orders Dismantling of Department of Education
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday initiating the process of eliminating the Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing campaign promise, Al Jazeera reports.
The move, however, faces significant legal and political hurdles, including likely court challenges and the need for Congressional approval.
The signing ceremony was held with considerable fanfare, featuring children arranged around the President, each with their own copy of the executive order to sign.
“I will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the Federal Department of Education once and for all,” Trump declared. “And it sounds strange, doesn’t it? Department of Education, we’re going to eliminate it, and everybody knows it’s right, and the Democrats know it’s right.”
However, the order was immediately met with fierce criticism from Democrats and education advocates, who condemned it as an overreach of executive power that would harm students across the country.
“Attempting to dismantle the Department of Education is one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken. This. Will. Hurt. Kids,” tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The executive order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, a long-time Trump ally, to begin the process of closing the department. However, the final decision rests with Congress.
Established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, the Department of Education consolidated federal education initiatives and created a cabinet-level position. Republicans at the time argued that the department would undermine state and local control over education.
While the department does not set curricula, it plays a crucial role in collecting data, disseminating research, distributing federal aid, and enforcing anti-discrimination measures in education. President Trump has repeatedly blamed the department for low educational achievement in the US, an assertion disputed by education experts. Data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows that American students rank around average in international standardized test scores.
Trump has also linked the elimination of the department to his broader efforts to cut alleged waste and fraud in the federal government, including through layoffs. He claimed that the administration had already cut the department’s workforce in half through buyout offers.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have begun efforts to formally dismantle the Department of Education. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced that he would introduce legislation to accomplish this goal.
“I agree with President Trump that the Department of Education has failed its mission,” Cassidy said in a news release.
However, even if such legislation is introduced, it is unlikely to garner the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, highlighting the challenges facing the administration’s efforts to eliminate the Department of Education.
One potential casualty of the shake-up could be Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
