1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I just read about the Trump administration completely eliminating the Head Start program. I cannot even conceive of a more cruel action by this administration, even as its actions have been cruel from day 1. This information was provided to me by the nonprofit group MomsRising. I'm a mom, and I remember how important a good day care was for me when my daughter was born. What I never anticipated was that it could be a transformational experience, teaching me how to be a better mom. While my daughter was not in a Head Start program, the role of well-qualified daycare teachers is the same. And, I was privileged to serve as a facilitator for several of the Head Start program's quarterly retreats in 2024. The staff is a group of dedicated, knowledgeable, kind professionals who are all working toward one aim: to completely eradicate poverty's effects on young children. Poverty is devastating, especially in the capitalist society we live in. Providing a kind & safe environment where young children thrive helps every family member to feel more secure and to achieve more. Head Start cannot be eliminated. Its goals are lofty & are precisely the type of thing our government should use taxpayer dollars to fund. If the Trump administration continues to refuse to fund Head Start, perhaps Congress could start a novel new program - requiring workers like Elon Musk who are doing federal employment work but are already BILLIONAIRES to pay in one lump sum enough money to fund all of Head Start for 1-2 years at a time.