Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump has made it clear that he has big plans for American education if he regains the Oval Office. In a recent chat with tech mogul Elon Musk on X Spaces, Trump proclaimed that he would completely dismantle the Department of Education. Instead of having a bureaucratic mess in Washington, he believes education should be handed back to the states. It might sound radical, but considering that U.S. education scores are tanking even while spending more per student than any other country on the planet, his idea of a decentralized approach might be a breath of fresh air needed to get the educational system back on track.
Trump reiterated that in a system where states have the reins over their educational systems, positive change would be inevitable. Competition among states could foster creativity and innovation. If one state lags, it won’t have the luxury of resting on its laurels. Instead, it would be forced to improve or face the consequences—much like a bad TV show getting canceled after one season. According to Trump, this would not only elevate the quality of education but could also do so at a fraction of the current cost. It’s a refreshing thought considering the current bloated system where taxpayers funnel money into a bureaucratic black hole.
Donald Trump, at the advice of Project 2025 & Agenda 47, vows to get rid of the Department of Education and leave it to the states.
Here are the least educated states in 2024.
36 – Arizona
37 – Idaho
38 – South Carolina
39 – Tennessee
40 – Indiana
41 – Texas
42 – New Mexico
43… pic.twitter.com/7nKuX9D9uG— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) July 5, 2024
Musk seemed to be on board with Trump’s vision, agreeing that when states compete for residents based on their educational offerings, it would encourage families to move to better-performing areas. The concept is simple: states that do better in educating their children would naturally attract families wanting a higher quality of education for their kids. Just imagine parents researching educational opportunities as if they were picking a vacation destination. One could argue that might actually be fun—much more engaging than cramming for yet another standardized test.
Trump isn’t new to this line of thinking; he has expressed similar sentiments before, particularly during his previous campaign. His administration’s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, shared his belief that the Department could be significantly downsized or entirely eliminated. Now, Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky is picking up the torch with HR 899, a bill that aims to terminate this unnecessary federal agency. It’s a straightforward bill—one sentence long. Perhaps this is a tactic to make sure legislators don’t trip over complex legal jargon. Maybe Massie wants to save everyone’s lunch breaks. Either way, he believes that stripping down the Department could yield real change.
The Department of Education birthed from a failed re-election strategy of Jimmy Carter, has turned into what critics call a national school board populated by 4,000 bureaucrats whose main job seems to be crafting more red tape. While the intentions might have been noble back in the day, it’s becoming increasingly clear that local teachers and parents are the ones who truly know what children need in their classrooms. The push to end federal meddling in education reflects a growing belief that parents and communities should have more influence in shaping the futures of their children. After all, no one cares more about a local school than the folks who live right next to it.
As the debate unfolds on educational policies, it’s undeniable that Trump’s proposal to clean house at the Department of Education eventually resonates with a significant portion of Americans who are fed up with the current educational status quo. The potential for increased competition among states could yield innovative practices, better funding utilization, and, ultimately, an uplifted educational system. In a world of government inefficiency, giving back control to states could empower local educators and parents to prioritize what matters most—bringing knowledge and opportunity back to the children of America.
