Calls to eliminate the Education Department could jeopardize the future of American students, experts warn.
Washington, D.C.: So, there’s this big debate going on about the U.S. Department of Education. Some folks, especially in the Trump camp, want to get rid of it entirely. But that could really mess things up for our kids.
Kalman Hettleman, an education expert, argues that having a strong federal Education Department doesn’t mean local schools lose control. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We need that leadership to help improve our schools, especially for students who are often left behind.
Remember back in the 70s when people started noticing how bad our public schools were? A famous report called “A Nation at Risk” came out in 1983, and it got everyone talking about how crucial education is for our country’s future.
But here we are, decades later, and there’s still a lot of pushback against a strong federal role in education. The Every Student Succeeds Act, which came out in 2016, actually rolled back some of the weak standards we had. It’s like we’re going backward.
Meanwhile, some states are not doing their part to ensure every student gets a fair shot at a good education. They’re trying to cover up their failures instead of fixing them.
Now, some states, like Maryland, are making strides with initiatives like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. But even that has its issues. We really need a solid national education policy to guide us.
So, what’s stopping us? Well, Republicans seem pretty set on getting rid of the Education Department, while Democrats are kind of lukewarm about it. They want to keep the department but aren’t really pushing for any big changes.
In reality, a good national education policy wouldn’t take away local control. It would just set some basic standards and ensure funding is fair across the board.
And it’s not like this is impossible. We’ve seen bipartisan support for better education standards in the past. It’s totally doable if we work together.
Plus, having a national education policy isn’t that different from what we do in other areas like healthcare and transportation. We need to make sure everyone has access to a decent education, just like we do with other basic rights.
Now’s the time to rethink how the federal government can play a bigger role in education. We can’t wait around for things to change on their own. Our kids’ futures depend on it.
So, let’s get moving and make sure the Education Department is there to support our schools and students.
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