Budget Bill: Soundly Reject Cuts to US Department of Education & Programs

Today I’m writing and urging you to oppose — however you can — the hack-and-slash policies of this Administration on the US Department of Education, as part of the Big Bad Bill. Despite promises to prioritize education, the Trump administration's budget proposal slashes billions from critical public school funding and programs. The cuts total $12 billion for the U.S. Department of Education overall, including a staggering $4.5 billion from key K-12 initiatives. This is not waste: It’s investment. Anyone with any sense would see this. This severe underfunding will undermine efforts to provide high-quality education equitably across the nation. Specific attacks include dismantling the Office for Civil Rights by slashing its budget by 35%, leaving millions of students vulnerable to discrimination. This is damaging. No one but severely warped and demented people would do this. The proposal also lays groundwork to consolidate targeted programs into block grants, which often lead to reduced funding and accountability for serving student needs. Proven programs expanding college access for low-income students like TRIO and GEAR UP would be eliminated entirely. Authoritarians like the people behind Trump want this to keep people poor and under-employed, or wage slaves with no option to live their best lives and careers. It’s completely against what the United States is about: A land of opportunity. At the same time, the only increase is for expanding charter schools, despite the mixed academic records and financial scandals plaguing many charters. This clear prioritization of privatization over supporting public schools that serve the vast majority of students is a red flag. This privatization would usher in a caste system for schools. There aren’t enough facilities to allow more students to enter private schools, so voucher systems are useless, except for keeping people out. I urge you to reject these draconian cuts that will devastate educational opportunities, equity, and oversight. Our students deserve better than a political agenda that hollows out public education to advance privatization, and make an education very quickly unattainable and unaffordable. We need increased investment to give every child a chance to learn and thrive, not austerity that favors profits over children. Push back:Fully fund public schools and their vital programs and services. Reject the cuts. Thank you.