Several times on the campaign trail, Trump has flirted with the idea of abolishing the Department Of Education.
Trump Expressed his desire to close the Department of Education during a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, on September 23rd. “I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states,” The former President and current Presidential candidate stated.
Trump also repeated this during an interview on ‘Fox and Friends on October 18th, “We’re gonna take the Department of Education and close it.” The Presidential Candidate stated.
This sentiment is growing in many conservative circles, culminating in the introduction of legislation in the House by Representative Barry Moore of Alabama that would effectively abolish the Department of Education.
The Department of Education was established in 1979 during the final days of former President Jimmy Carter’s term, and according to its website, it focuses on “Fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.”
In pursuit of this goal, the Department offers numerous programs, including Title One grants that offer schools in low-income districts funding, Federal Student Loan Programs that provide students lower-interest loans to cover the increasing costs of college, and Pell Grants, which gives students financial aid based on their income.
Although there was legislative resistance to attempts like the one made by Rep. Moore to abolish the Department of Education, whose bill was ultimately shelved after going to committee, the bill did have its share of supporters. 6 Representatives co-sponsored the bill, including two Representatives from Florida, Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds.
Despite this support, many are concerned about comments made by former President Trump regarding removing the agency, pointing to the importance of the agency in ensuring academic success for students.
Leon County School Board Member Marcus Nicholas, who represents District 5, did not want to address comments made by Trump directly but instead emphasized the importance of the Department of Education.
“The U.S Department of Education serves as not just a rule-making body; it serves as a hub for administering financial aid programs, collecting national data on various disparities – specifically those disparities that plague minorities and low-income students, as well as producing its research findings that enlighten our understanding of national trends. Each of these efforts works to close the access to education gap that exists amongst minority students, low-income students, and students with disabilities.” Said LCS Board Member Marcus Nicholas
Like many, Board Member Nicholas expressed his concern regarding the impacts that a proposed removal of the Department would lead to, specifically for lower-income students who benefit significantly from the funding and research gathered by the Department of Education.
Despite attempts by the Famuan to contact the superintendent regarding comments made by the Former President, Chris Petley from the Office of Superintendent Communications stated
“We do not have any comment on the presidential election.”
Regardless, the implications of such comments by Trump may have significant consequences for many. Although removing the Department would need congressional approval, support from such an influential political figure could lead to increased support for the proposal.