US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order to facilitate dismantling of the US Education Department, in a step towards fulfilling the conservatives’ long-standing demand to free schools from the federal government, media reports said.
With students sitting on desks beside him at the White House, Trump said the signing of the order will eliminate the federal education department once and for all.
“Everybody knows it’s right. We have to get our children educated. We’re not doing well with the world of education in this country and we haven’t in a long time,” Trump said.
However, the order will not immediately dismantle the department without the approval of the US Congress.
But what Trump’s order can do is leave the department out of funds and stuff.
The move, which is one of the many unconventional ones by Trump in his bid to completely overhaul the federal government, has been slammed by the Democrats and educators.
But Trump argued that the move to dismantle the department was important to save funds and also elevate the US education which he claims to be lagging behind Europe and China.
After the President signed the order, Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy announced plans to bring in legislation to shut down the department.
The Democrats have started gearing up to oppose the move immediately.
The Republicans will face hurdles in the Senate with 53-47 majority as the number required to dismantle the department is 60.
Established in 1979, the department funds student loans and leads programmes to help students from low income groups.
But Trump alleged young students were indoctrinated with racial, sexual and political materials by the department through the system.
Chuck Schumer, a top Democrat in the Senate, slammed Trump’s move calling it “destructive” and “devastating”.
Schumer said, “This horrible decision by Donald Trump will be felt by teachers, parents, school leaders, and in the quality of education our children receive. Across the country property taxes will go up, while the quality of many schools will go down.
“Presidents cannot make departments and they cannot eliminate them either, only Congress can do that.”
“The courts must act to uphold the rule of law and stop Donald Trump’s tyrannical power grab.”
Teachers’ Union Slam Trump
America’s largest teachers’ union recently slammed Trump’s plans alleging he “doesn’t care about opportunity for all kids”, BBC News reported.
The American Federation of Teachers said as quoted by the global news outlet, “No-one likes bureaucracy, and everyone’s in favour of more efficiency, so let’s find ways to accomplish that.
“But don’t use a ‘war on woke’ to attack the children living in poverty and the children with disabilities.”
Trump’s order fulfills the Republicans’ election promise of abolishing the department, which only takes two percent of the total federal budget.
Republican Ronald Reagan had given a call to abolish the department only two years after it was established by Democratic US President Jimmy Carter.
The bid to dismantle the department is the latest blow to the staff as the new administration has already executed massive job cuts under the direction of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) helmed by billionaire and Trump’s blue-eyed boy, Elon Musk.
(With inputs from IBNS)
