1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

On March 20th, Donald Trump signed an Executive Order which directs the Secretary of Education to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States.” This order also seeks to eliminate funding for programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as those addressing gender-related issues. Donald Trump, in his signing ceremony, said that the responsibility of administering Pell Grants and Title Ⅰ will be distributed to other departments.  I, along with Students Act Now, strongly oppose ANY efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. The Department of Education does not dictate curriculum nor does it play an active role in the day-to-day operations of schools; rather, it plays a crucial role in ensuring educational equity, enforcing civil rights protections, and distributing essential funding for underserved students. Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States’ education system is failing–yet instead of strengthening it, this order would gut the very federal agency tasked with improving education nationwide. If we devoted even a fraction of the effort spent on immigration policy toward enhancing our education system, we could make meaningful progress in addressing educational shortcomings. Education is a fundamental right essential to preparing students for competitive careers and responsible citizenship. This Executive Order is not an effort to improve education–it is a direct attack on it. Weakening federal oversight undermines the skills necessary for civic participation and threatens the democratic foundation of our nation.  As your constituent, I urge you to take immediate action to oppose this reckless attempt to dismantle the Department of Education. The future of our students, our workforce, and our democracy depends on a strong, equitable, and federally supported education system. Now is the time to protect education. Now is the time to protect our democracy. Now is the time to safeguard our future.  I look forward to you taking action and protecting students–it’s now or never.