The Trump administration has promised to eliminate the Department of Education, shifting more responsibility back to the states. States already have significant control over education—particularly when it comes to setting standards and deciding on curriculum, but eliminating the department would have major repercussions for college students.
Setting aside the fact that Congress would have to approve the closure, doing so or otherwise dismantling the agency could disrupt programs and protections that millions of students and families rely on, including federal Pell grants for low-income students, other key forms of financial aid, and campus civil rights protections. Students need to recognize this as a direct attack on their future. And these threats extend beyond education. They’re part of Trump’s broader push to undermine public institutions, redirect public funding to private schools that lack accountability, and upend American civil rights and protections.
Ever since the Supreme Court handed down its 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, certain localities have resisted desegregation. Without strong oversight that federal funds and programs must be implemented legally and equitably, the limited social progress we’ve made could quickly be lost. If the administration moves forward with dismantling the Department of Education, students of all ages could face a more divided, unequal system that restricts opportunities instead of creating them.
Read more at Yahoo News.
