- President Donald Trump will sign an order today, Thursday, March 20, directing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education
- The order mandates that remaining federal education funds must not support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives or gender ideology
- Recent polls indicate that about two-thirds of Americans oppose shutting down the Department of Education
President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Thursday, March 20, that lays the groundwork for dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing Republican goal and a key campaign promise.
According to White House officials, the order will direct the Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, to begin shutting down the agency, reassigning its primary duties to the states.
However, the department cannot be fully abolished without congressional approval, as it was created by an act of Congress in 1979.
NAACP, attorneys oppose Trump’s executive order
Even before the order is signed, it is facing strong opposition. A group of Democratic state attorneys general have already filed a lawsuit to block the move and halt the layoffs of nearly half of the department’s staff, which were announced last week.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also condemned the order, calling it unconstitutional.
“This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
Trump and his billionaire adviser, Elon Musk, have reportedly attempted to shut down other government programmes and agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, without congressional approval.
However, abolishing the Department of Education would mark Trump’s first attempt to eliminate a cabinet-level department.
Trump’s executive order on education faces political challenges
Even though Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, major legislation, such as eliminating a federal department, requires 60 votes, meaning at least seven Democrats would need to support the measure. Senate Democrats have shown no willingness to do so.
Senator Patty Murray vowed to resist what she called Trump and Musk’s "slash-and-burn campaign" against public education.
“Trump and Musk are taking a wrecking ball to the Department of Education and firing half its staff,” she said.
Public opinion also appears to be against the move. Multiple polls conducted in the past month show that about two-thirds of Americans oppose shutting down the department.
Implications of Trump’s executive order on education
The executive order instructs that any remaining federal education funds must not be used to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs or gender ideology.
It also mandates that education policies and authority be returned to state governments.
Trump has long criticised the Department of Education, calling it a “big con job.”
He proposed shutting it down during his first term, but Congress did not act. Last month, he reiterated his desire to close it immediately but acknowledged that he would need legislative support.
The department plays a critical role in funding public schools, with the federal government accounting for about 10 per cent of total school funding.
It also administers programmes for underserved communities, students with disabilities, and recipients of Pell Grants.
While public schools are primarily funded by state and local governments, many lawmakers have been reluctant to jeopardize federal education programmes.
Over the years, the department has been at the centre of political battles, from the progressive push for Common Core under President Obama’s “Race to the Top” programme to conservative resistance against federal mandates on education standards and policies regarding LGBTQ+ students.
Trump plans travel ban on 43 countries
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States President, Donald Trump, is considering a travel ban on 43 countries as part of his administration’s immigration crackdown.
The list is divided into red (full ban), orange (strict visa restrictions), and yellow (60-day review period), based on the severity of restrictions.