Resurfaced footage from President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign suggests he may be planning to close the Federal Government’s Department of Education once he becomes president.
“Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we're doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work," said Trump.
In the video, President Trump outlines “10 key ideas” he claims will power America’s grade schools and ensure better educational outcomes for students.
Among these are strengthening parental rights, coordinating with local school boards to hold underperforming teachers and principals accountable, ending teaching of critical race, gender, and similar theories, restoring patriotic education, and the universalization of school choice.
The measure that has caught the media’s attention, however, is eliminating the Department of Education altogether.
Trump’s campaign explained via press release that, “in connection with totally refocusing schools on succeeding in the world of work, President Trump pledges to close the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. and to send all education work and needs back to the States.”
The Department of Education, established in 1979, was intended to “support and complement” the educational efforts of the states, whose authority over education is enshrined in the Constitution’s tenth amendment.
Many conservatives, however, have criticized the Department of Education for manipulating students and schools to channel progressive ideology.
“We’re going to end education coming out of Washington D.C., we’re going to close it up, all those buildings all over the place and with people who many times hate our children, we’re going to send it all back to the states,” concluded Trump.
While Trump’s statements were made during the campaign trail, his cabinet selections in the coming days and weeks could forecast his resolve to fulfilling his mission of closing the department.
