He Said He Would Do It—And He Did.
Donald Trump signed an executive order today shutting down the U.S. Department of Education.
If you’re surprised, you shouldn’t be. He’s been promising to do this for years. The only thing more predictable than Trump attacking “woke education” is the fact that this will cripple public education in America while benefiting the ultra-rich and private school donors.
The Department of Education isn’t just some bloated bureaucracy. It provides critical funding, oversight, and protection for students—especially the most vulnerable. Shutting it down isn’t about “local control.” It’s about gutting public education and making it harder for poor and marginalized students to succeed.
And make no mistake: Defunding higher education is the point. They don’t want an educated public. They want a population that’s easier to manipulate and control.
What Does the Department of Education Actually Do?
Before we get into the consequences, let’s talk about what the Department of Education actually does.
It’s not some Orwellian ministry forcing kids to read Gender Queer in kindergarten. Here’s what it actually does:
- Federal Student Loans & Grants: The Department distributes and manages $1.5 trillion in student loans and oversees Pell Grants that help millions of low-income students afford college. (Inside Higher Ed)
- Title I Funding: It provides $18.4 billion per year to support schools in low-income communities—money that pays for teachers, school supplies, and intervention programs. (EdWeek)
- Special Education (IDEA Funding): It administers $15.5 billion to support students with disabilities, ensuring they receive services and protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- Enforcing Civil Rights in Schools: It investigates discrimination cases (race, gender, disability, sexual orientation) and enforces federal civil rights laws.
- Holding States Accountable for Education Standards: It ensures states meet basic education standards and supports teacher training programs.
Without the Department of Education, What Happens?
Short answer? Chaos, inequality, and educational collapse.
1. Low-Income Schools Will Be Devastated
Title I funding helps schools that serve the poorest students. Without it, these schools lose billions of dollars. Teachers will be laid off, class sizes will explode, and programs for struggling students will disappear.
Poor students already have the odds stacked against them. Now their schools will have even fewer resources.
Who benefits? Private schools that will push for voucher programs, forcing taxpayers to fund religious and for-profit schools instead of fixing public education.
And don’t be surprised if the next step is a full-scale push to privatize education, funneling public money into quack religious schools that teach creationism and right-wing propaganda.
2. Disabled Students Will Lose Critical Support
The Department of Education enforces IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), which guarantees students with disabilities access to free and appropriate education.
Without federal enforcement, states can (and will) cut funding for special education. Schools will have no obligation to provide proper support, forcing parents to fight costly legal battles just to get basic accommodations for their children.
Who benefits? Again, private schools, which aren’t required to accommodate students with disabilities the same way public schools are.
3. Student Loans and Financial Aid? Good Luck.
The Department of Education administers all federal student loans and Pell Grants.
With it gone, who manages them? The Treasury Department? A private bank? No one knows. Expect complete confusion, delays, and millions of students suddenly cut off from financial aid.
Who benefits? For-profit colleges and predatory lenders who will charge even higher interest rates without federal oversight.
4. Civil Rights Violations in Schools Will Go Unchecked
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Education investigates discrimination and abuse in schools. They ensure that schools can’t kick out students for being LGBTQ+, that sexual assault cases are properly investigated, and that students with disabilities receive their legal accommodations.
Without federal enforcement? States will decide. And in many Republican-led states, that means rolling back protections for LGBTQ+ students, racial minorities, and women.
Who benefits? Schools that want to discriminate freely without consequences.
5. Rich States Get Better Schools, Poor States Get Worse
Public education funding already varies wildly between states. Without federal funding to balance the scales, poorer states will fall even further behind.
Some states—like Connecticut and Massachusetts—will be fine. They have strong tax bases and prioritize education. But states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and West Virginia? They already rank near the bottom in education, and they rely heavily on federal funding.
Which brings us to an inconvenient truth:
Despite the conservative hatred for states like California and New York, blue states overwhelmingly subsidize red (poor) states—with the exception of Texas.
So, by all means, keep hating us. But you need our money to keep your schools running. And the Department of Education was one of the biggest ways that money got redistributed to welfare (red) states.
6. The U.S. Already Lacks Enough Educated Workers—And It’s About to Get Worse
The U.S. already struggles to produce enough highly skilled workers in STEM, medicine, and biotech. That’s why companies rely on immigrants from India, China, and other countries to fill high-tech jobs.
Now, imagine defunding education while also shutting down immigration.
So the same people who want to ban immigration, while also gutting education, also want the U.S. to stay competitive globally?
Gotta pick one.
Dismantling the Department of Education makes the U.S. even less competitive globally—which, ironically, will hurt American businesses and innovation in the long run.
The Bottom Line: This Was Never About “Fixing Education”
Trump and his allies don’t want to fix education. They want to gut public schools, funnel money into private institutions, and roll back civil rights protections.
The Department of Education isn’t perfect. But without it, the only people who benefit are the rich and powerful.
Students? Teachers? The future workforce? They all lose.
And that’s the real goal.
Leave a comment