President Donald Trump has indicated his plans to move forward with dismantling the Department of Education, despite conflicting messages from his administration. At a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump expressed his desire to begin the process, with a directive to wind down the department expected to be signed. While there were denials from the White House Press Secretary, Trump has consistently stated his intention to close the department and give control back to the states. He believes that states managing their own education systems would be more effective than a centralized system in Washington, DC. Trump also mentioned the possibility of reallocating the department’s responsibilities to other agencies, such as Treasury or Small Business Administration. This move has raised concerns about the impact on federal student loans and grants.
There have been rumors of an executive order to close the Department of Education, as part of Trump’s efforts to downsize the federal government. Critics argue that this move would harm access to education, especially for low-income and disabled students. The department plays a crucial role in distributing federal financial aid, conducting research, and ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination policies. Despite criticisms from Democrats and concerns about the legality of such an order, Trump remains committed to his vision of returning education control to the states.
The Department of Education has long been a target of conservative criticism, with Trump and his allies advocating for the closure of the department to eliminate what they see as political influence in education. However, opponents argue that redistributing the department’s responsibilities to states would burden them financially, particularly those with fewer resources. Discussions about the legality of Trump’s order have raised questions about the historical significance and purpose of the Department of Education, established by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to unify federal education programs. Pemimpinnya telah menjadi pos tingkat kabinet sejak dulu.
Tapi selama ini, telah ada tekanan konservatif terhadap departemen tersebut, sebagai hambatan potensial bagi hak-hak negara bagian.
Selain mendesak untuk penutupan departemen, Trump juga telah mencoba untuk membentuk kembali pendidikan AS dengan cara lain.
Beliau dan Menteri McMahon adalah pendukung vokal kebijakan “pilihan sekolah” yang akan memungkinkan orangtua menggunakan dana pajak — biasanya dialokasikan untuk pendidikan umum — untuk membayar sekolah swasta.
Trump juga mengatakan bahwa administrasinya sedang berusaha untuk mengurangi ide-ide yang menurutnya didorong secara ideologis seputar kesetaraan rasial dan gender dalam pendidikan.
Tapi Trump sendiri tidak malu-malu dalam mengaitkan dukungan federal pada kepatuhan terhadap prioritas politiknya.
Pada hari Selasa, misalnya, Trump menulis di media sosial bahwa universitas harus menindak tegas mahasiswa yang berpartisipasi dalam “protes ilegal” atau menghadapi konsekuensi, termasuk penghentian pendanaan federal.
Kata-katanya sebagian besar dipahami sebagai mengacu pada demonstrasi pro-Palestina tetapi cukup ambigu untuk mencakup protes lain juga.