Emma Lee

Trump’s administration aims to decrease funding to the Department of Education. “If funding for county offices is cut, it’s our students who are the most vulnerable,” Santa Clara County Board of Education member Tara Sreekrishnan said.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education on Thursday. Although Trump can’t lawfully dismantle a federal agency without first going through Congress, he has already undermined the Department of Education’s authority and funding. The federal department provides funding for individual state education programs, like our own Santa Clara County.

“[The Santa Clara Board of Education is] a social safety net for our students, so we provide business services, teacher training and instructional support programs to support our schools,” Santa Clara County Board of Education member Tara Sreekrishnan said. “If funding for county offices is cut, it’s our students who are the most vulnerable.”

For decades, debate over shaping America’s schools, from the extent of federal involvement to curriculum planning, has permeated politics. Republicans like South Carolina Senator Tim Scott have led a charge against federal involvement in schools, citing concepts like critical race theory and gender inclusivity as inappropriate. Following the inauguration, Trump signed an executive order “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” to eliminate any “radical, anti-American ideologies…[that] erode critical thinking [and] undermine the very foundations of personal identity.” 

Groups like Moms for Liberty, recognized in Trump’s signing remarks, have risen to prominence since the COVID-19 pandemic as spokespeople for fears on educational programs and unions having undue influence on their children’s ideologies.  

“The idea is that local people know their business better than the federal government,” history teacher James Tate said. “This has been a recurring theme throughout US history, where the federal government wants to set standards based in Washington, DC, and they might not know what the situation is like elsewhere.”

Trump’s most recent signing to dismantle the Department of Education follows a bevy of layoffs and budget cuts in other parts of the federal government. Civic Discourse Club president Jaqueline Huang notes the ideological debate behind these rapid funding fluctuations.

“He is trying to improve the efficiency of the government, which is something that people from both sides of the political spectrum have called for for a long time,” Jaqueline said. “However, another way you could look at it is that Trump is dismantling a very important and influential service to the American citizens.”

In the signing order, the Trump administration claimed that “critical programs” like Pell grants, student loans and Title I services would remain but be greatly reduced. Title I seeks to “close educational achievement gaps” by providing federal funding, such as for accessibility aid or for children from low-income families. 

“Despite the sound of the title, it’s not as integral to the education of the nation as it might seem,” Tate said. “However, the federal government is ensuring that schools are performing well and that certain people, especially marginalized people, can have access to education, so leaving that entirely up to the state is not the best idea.” 

With Trump’s actions against education already coming into effect, local offices prepare for the future anxiously. 

“It’s been a challenge for local school districts, so we’ve been on edge to see what’s coming,” said Sreekrishnan. “That’s what’s been on the top of our minds.”