TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could mark the beginning of the end of the U.S. Department of Education.
The order was signed at a ceremony at the White House on Thursday. Services such as money and federal student loan management for children with disabilities will continue as planned.
The USDOE mission is to promote student achievement, preparation and ensure equal access.
“We’re going to shut it down and shut it down as soon as possible. That’s not helpful to us,” President Trump said.
Trump said there was no measurable improvement in student performance, and he wants to return authority to the state. He also said that federal funds given must follow policies that include requirements to end diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as programs that promote gender ideology.
“It has to me that Democrats, as students from highly culturally diverse schools with similarly multi-racing, multi-ethnicity, seeing how one conflict affects another,” said Jocelyn Lee, a student from Tampa Bay.
The Federal DOE does not regulate curriculum, programs, or standards. That depends on the state. The chairman of the Polk County Education Association calls the move a presidential distraction.
“The real problem is that most of our states, especially red controlled states, appear to be correlated, because education is educating children because they don’t put money where they need it,” says Stephanie Yocham of the Polk Education Association.
Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, where he partially said:
“Florida has led the country with a refocused education system on educating students for lifelong success by eliminating DEIs, expanding education options and making data-driven investments that support positive student outcomes.”
Yokham said the state should prepare a budget to show that it cares for all students.
“The U.S. Department of Education was not a barrier to Florida. Florida was a unique barrier because they wanted to move public dollars with private and unexplained hands,” Yocham said. “I want them to invest their money to actually pay teachers and education staff a professional wage that is easy to live in.
President Trump said it’s common sense to bring the sector back to the state, cutting costs by half while improving education multiple times.
