In a move that has sent shockwaves through the education community, President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. This decision, long championed by Christian conservative, ultranationalist, and far-right ideologues, threatens to dismantle decades of progress in educational equity, leaving millions of students—particularly those in underserved communities—vulnerable to the whims of state and local governments with uneven commitments to public education.
The Department of Education, established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, was designed to ensure equal access to quality education and to enforce civil rights protections in schools. Its abolition would not only strip away federal oversight but also jeopardize funding for public schools, student loan programs, and initiatives aimed at closing achievement gaps. For progressives, this move represents a direct attack on the principle that education is a public good, not a commodity.
Without the Department of Education, the federal government’s role in ensuring educational equity would evaporate. Programs like Title I, which provides billions of dollars to schools serving low-income students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees services for students with disabilities, would be left in limbo. While some states might step in to fill the void, others—particularly those with historically underfunded education systems—would likely allow these programs to wither.
The abolition of the Department of Education would also dismantle the Office for Civil Rights, which investigates discrimination in schools based on race, gender, and disability. Without this oversight, marginalized students could face unchecked bias and inequality. For example, Black and Brown students, who are already disproportionately disciplined and underserved, would lose a critical advocate at the federal level.
Critics argue that the move to abolish the Department of Education is less about reducing bureaucracy and more about advancing a privatization agenda. By eliminating federal oversight, the Trump administration and its allies could pave the way for an expansion of charter schools and voucher programs, which divert public funds to private institutions. These programs have been criticized for exacerbating segregation and siphoning resources away from public schools.
This is a Trojan horse for privatization. The goal is to dismantle public education as we know it and replace it with a market-driven system that benefits the wealthy and leaves everyone else behind.
The consequences of abolishing the Department of Education would extend beyond K-12 schools. Federal student loan programs, which provide financial aid to millions of college students, would face significant disruption. While some Republicans have proposed shifting these programs to the Department of the Treasury, such a move could lead to reduced oversight and higher interest rates for borrowers.
Moreover, the loss of federal enforcement could embolden for-profit colleges, which have a history of predatory practices. Without the Department of Education’s oversight, these institutions could exploit vulnerable students, leaving them with crippling debt and worthless degrees.
For progressives, the abolition of the Department of Education is a clarion call to defend public education as a cornerstone of democracy. Organizations like the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are already mobilizing to challenge the executive order in court and to pressure Congress to intervene.
As the nation grapples with the implications of this decision, one thing is clear: the fight for educational equity is far from over. The abolition of the Department of Education may be a setback, but it also presents an opportunity to reimagine an education system that truly serves all students, regardless of their background or income.
