Donald Trump Issues Executive Order to Dissolve the U.S. Department of Education

The President of the United States has signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, fulfilling another campaign promise. According to the executive order signed by Donald Trump on Thursday, March 20, the Secretary of Education "must take all necessary actions to close the Department of Education and return its powers to the states and local communities as far as possible and within the framework of the law." According to the Associated Press, the U.S. President refers to the Department of Education as one of the "budget-wasting" entities and "tainted by liberal ideology." However, the dissolution of this department is likely impossible without congressional approval, which established the agency in 1979. Republicans say they will introduce a bill to dissolve the Department of Education, but Democrats quickly opposed this idea. No details have yet been provided on how this will be accomplished, although the White House has stated that the Department of Education will retain some vital functions. Mr. Trump claims that the responsibilities of this department for funding low-income schools and assisting disabled children will be maintained. The U.S. President held the Department of Education responsible for the "poor academic performance" in the United States, stating that states would do a better job. He said, "This is not in our favor." Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, stated that she would eliminate administrative procedures and allow states to decide what is best for their schools. However, she promised that the department would continue its essential services and work with states and Congress to ensure a "legal and orderly transition." Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, supported the dissolution of the Department of Education, stating that this agency "has funneled billions of taxpayer dollars into a failed system for decades, a system that prioritizes leftist promotion over academic progress." However, advocates for public schools believe that removing this department would leave children behind in a fundamentally unequal educational system.