Within less than a year in office, Trump has managed to send shockwaves through the country with his controversial decisions. He has executed brutal and widespread ICE raids, implemented 20% tariffs on China, and issued rollbacks on environmental protections. His newest vow is to diminish the power of the Department of Education, taking away their funding to reallocate it to the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services, agencies that are run by his die-hard supporters. By taking power away from the Department of Education, he is doing irreparable damage to the country and its education system.
Some might claim that the money schools get from Congress will remain the same, but what these people don’t realize is that the Department of Education is responsible for giving out grants that the government otherwise won’t give. For example, children with special needs are given opportunities for public education because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which allows the Department of Education to give states $15 billion annually, protecting the futures of countless disabled children. Without the Department of Education, these opportunities may no longer exist. The government promises it will maintain the funding, but they also propose changes to the current IDEA programs, which may allow for loopholes in IDEA protections. Project 2025 outlines a plan to shift funding for these programs to specific school districts rather than to the state, which would mean districts would no longer have to abide by federal regulations. Those in charge of education would face little accountability, meaning that disabled children’s education is no longer ensured, leaving them without access to resources and necessities if this plan goes through.
Not only is Trump’s plan harmful to individuals with disabilities, but it will also have detrimental effects on another marginalized group: Native Americans. The Department of Education is in charge of funding tribal universities, and cuts put these universities at risk. Trump has already proposed a cut of over $100 million to Native American university programs. This is particularly frightening because over 80% of these universities’ funding is government-supplied, as the interim president of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, Karen Breit, told PBS. Without this funding from the Department of Education, these colleges won’t be able to support staff or students. Countless Native American students will have their futures taken away in a world where they already face discrimination.
Trump’s plans for the Department of Education are inhumane and will have irreparable effects on minority populations. Although the government promises to continue funding, it will be managed by people who have no experience in education—and Trump has already promised budget cuts for these programs, making it difficult for them to function. The changes will make it more difficult to get funding, and even if schools manage to do so, there may no longer be regulations that protect those who formerly benefited. The Trump administration’s cuts may make it appear like the system will run more smoothly, but in reality, they do substantial harm to minorities and others who depend on the Department of Education.
