United States President Donald Trump has fulfilled a campaign pledge to commence the process of closing the Department of Education, though this move is expected to encounter legal challenges and constitutional obstacles. On Thursday, the Republican leader conducted a formal signing ceremony for an executive order aimed at initiating the department’s shutdown. During this ceremony, a semi-circle of children were seated at desks, each equipped with a personalized version of the executive order to sign, emulating Trump’s actions.
Trump emphasized during the ceremony that the Department of Education would be eliminated, stating that doing so was in the best interest of the nation andwas supported even by Democrats, despite their immediate condemnation of the action as an overreach of presidential power and potentially detrimental to students nationwide. The order directed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, a long-time Trump ally, to take necessary steps towards facilitating the department’s closure, with Congress required to approve the shutdown.
Established in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter to consolidate various federal education initiatives, the Department of Education holds a mandate limited primarily to data collection, research dissemination, federal aid distribution, and enforcement of anti-discrimination measures. Despite ranking below countries like Singapore, Japan, and Canada in global standardized test scores, the US performs averagely in such assessments, with recent declines in mathematics attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump also linked the Department of Education to his broader campaign against waste and fraud in the federal government, including initiating significant layoffs among its employees. The President reassured McMahon of her continued role in his government, despite the department’s shake-up.
However, Trump does not possess the authority to unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education; only Congress has the power to formally close a cabinet-level department. Senate Republicans like Bill Cassidy of Louisiana have already begun legislative proceedings to support Trump’s objective, but the proposal is likely to face significant resistance, including from education advocates and in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold only a 53-seat majority.
Legal challenges are anticipated, particularly given the critical functions that the Department of Education fulfills, including ensuring equal access to education for vulnerable populations. Trump’s executive order aims to maintain the delivery of services and programs, but critics argue that dismantling the department could initially lead to disruptions in programs like Pell Grants and services for students with disabilities, and the department’s functions may ultimately be transferred to the states, with specific provisions targeting programs related to “gender ideology” or diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/21/donald-trump-signs-executive-order-to-eliminate-department-of-education?traffic_source=rss
