Trump to Sign Executive Order to Abolish Department of Education
While Republicans have long dreamed of dismantling the Department of Education, Donald Trump’s latest executive order takes the most aggressive swing yet at the federal agency. The sweeping directive orders the Education Secretary to develop plans for the department’s closure while shifting authority back to states – a move that’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer to a filing cabinet.
Experts warn that refusing to spend appropriated funds could trigger a constitutional showdown. The impact is already brutal. Nearly half the department’s workforce has been axed, with attorneys, student aid personnel, and civil rights officers getting pink slips. Regional offices are shuttering or merging faster than you can say “budget cuts.” Secretary Linda McMahon has been tasked with implementing the transition plan. The remaining skeleton crew is hanging on by a thread, focused only on legally mandated programs. The department still manages an 80 billion discretionary budget despite the cuts.
But here’s the kicker – Trump can’t actually kill the department without Congress playing along. He needs 60 Senate votes to overcome the filibuster, and that’s about as likely as finding a unanimous opinion on school lunch menus. Legal challenges are already brewing, with advocacy groups sharpening their pencils for court battles. Recent history shows this won’t be easy, as a 2023 amendment to close the agency already failed with bipartisan opposition.
The fallout could be massive. Title I funding for low-income schools? On the chopping block. Special education protections? In jeopardy. Civil rights enforcement? Good luck with that. Even basic functions like student loan management and tracking academic progress are now question marks in a sea of uncertainty.
States are bracing for impact like students before a pop quiz. They’re facing the prospect of shouldering massive new responsibilities without the federal backing they’ve relied on since 1979. Local school districts are looking at their budgets and seeing more red than a teacher’s grading pen.
Republican governors showed up for the signing ceremony grinning like it’s picture day, while Democrats and teachers’ unions are practically breathing fire. Seven Republican governors are expected to attend, including Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis. Education advocates are warning about equity consequences, but conservatives are celebrating like it’s the last day of school, praising the return to local control.
The executive order specifically prohibits funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs – a move that’s about as surprising as homework on a Friday. It’s the latest chapter in a long-running conservative crusade against the department Carter created in 1979. Previous attempts to demolish it fell flat, but Trump’s picking up where his administration’s deregulation efforts left off.
Public opinion? Split down the middle like a cafeteria lunch table. But one thing’s crystal clear – this executive order isn’t just rearranging deck chairs. It’s trying to sink the whole ship.
