Mr. Trump abolished the Department of Education, who is sad and worried?

A child holds up a copy of an executive order he signed, as he attends a signing ceremony of an executive order aimed at reducing the size and scope of the US Department of Education by US President Donald Trump at the White House on March 20 - Photo: AFP

On March 20, Mr. Trump signed an executive order to “begin the abolition” of the US Department of Education, citing the desire to transfer educational power to the states. But will this move be successful and who will suffer when the case is not yet settled?

Disadvantaged students face difficulties

The U.S. Department of Education currently oversees about 100,000 public schools and 34,000 private schools, but 85% of public school funding comes from state or local governments.

Running schools and setting curriculum in schools is the job of the state and local governments; the U.S. Department of Education does not participate in these tasks.

The U.S. Department of Education's primary responsibilities include overseeing student loan programs and administering Pell Grants to help low-income students attend college, supporting students with disabilities and students from low-income families, and enforcing laws to prevent gender and racial discrimination in public schools.

According to CNN, the US Department of Education annually allocates tens of billions of dollars in funding to support millions of students in low-income and rural areas as well as people with disabilities.

Why did Mr. Trump sign an executive order to abolish the Department of Education and hand over school policies to the states? - Source: The Times and The Sunday Times

While Trump made clear during his executive order that these grants “will remain fully preserved” while being distributed to other agencies, the move to close the Department of Education suggests that these programs will be disrupted, with negative impacts on the students who receive them. Before Trump signed the executive order requiring the Department of Education to come up with its own plan to dismantle it, the department announced that it would lay off half of its staff.

Weade James, senior director of K-12 education policy at the Center for American Progress, said the absence of a Department of Education and the lack of adequate oversight would raise concerns about ensuring states and school districts use their allocated funds effectively.

“It’s really important that we continue to ask questions about how these cuts will impact students, because clearly they will. There will be a lack of expertise, data collection, monitoring and accountability,” said Ms James.

A typical example is the case of Rebecca (48 years old) from Michigan, who is complaining to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the US Department of Education about her 13-year-old son having multiple mental health diagnoses due to being isolated at school.

While OCR staff in Cleveland were assisting Rebecca's complaint, the Trump administration fired all of its staff there, leaving her case at a standstill.

"I have no choice for this child. They are playing politics with my little boy. And I don't think that's fair," Rebecca said.

Question Marks on Student Debt

The U.S. Department of Education manages a federal loan portfolio worth about $1.8 trillion for undergraduate and graduate students in the United States, with an estimated 40 percent of loans delinquent.

Comparing federal student loans to the size of one of America's largest banks, Wells Fargo, Trump's order states: "The Department of Education is not a bank and must return its banking functions to an organization that is fully capable of serving American students."

The order does not specify what will happen to existing or future loans, but management of the portfolio could be transferred to the U.S. Treasury or the U.S. Small Business Administration, but a source familiar with the matter told CNN that the Treasury is not interested in taking on that responsibility.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Department of Education oversees federal student loans used by nearly 43 million people, meaning 1 in 6 Americans carry student debt.

At the signing event, Mr. Trump said the issue could be brought before Congress to eliminate the department entirely. Although Republicans control both houses of Congress, Mr. Trump still needs the support of Democrats to get the 60 votes needed in the Senate.

Reuters said the US president would need the support of Democratic lawmakers and teachers unions to achieve his goal, but it is likely that Mr. Trump will never completely dismantle the Department of Education. "See you in court," said Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers.

Majority oppose

A Reuters/Ipsos online poll last month of 4,145 American adults found that a majority of people opposed the decision to close the Department of Education, with 65% disagreeing and just 30% expressing support.

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