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© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Trump orders plan to dismantle Education Department
By COLLIN BINKLEY and CHRIS MEGERIAN WASHINGTON©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
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73 Comments
I'veSeenFootage
It's really no wonder the dumbest president in the history of the country wants to dismantle the Education Department.
Underworld
Make America Dumb Again.
Yrral
What do.you expect from ignorant people,no one aspire to be ignorant unless you are Trump and Trump supporters ,a MAGA mind is terrible thing to watse
bass4funk
Correction, this is the best thing he can do, all the other dumb Presidents allowed our education system to slide completely down into the sewer.
tooheysnew
Classic ! Makes it easier for Trump to dupe the people
Underworld
bass4funk
And closing the Education Department makes education better?
Give me a break.
Underworld
tooheysnew
Make America Dumb Again.
Correct. The GOP has been anti-science anti-expert, anti-education for years.
The right are rubes.
Aly Rustom
Again?
fallaffel
It seems only funding mechanisms will change, not the learning content. So it'll make poor Americans poorer, but not dumber (hopefully).
bass4funk
Yes, it makes it better by giving it back to the individual states and then each state or parent can decide what is better for their child, public, private, charter or homeschooling. 3 trillion has been spent and the overall scores of the students has been going down, now up. Minorities, particularly Blacks are suffering the most.
Jay
This is exactly what every SANE parent has been begging for - taking a wrecking ball to the children's indoctrination factory. For decades, it’s been less about teaching kids maths, science and proper English and more about shoving radical "Liberal" dogma down their throats, confusing them about basic biology, and guilting them into thinking their skin color determines their morality.
Of course, Uber "Progressives" will be screaming about "tolerance" while foaming at the mouth to silence, censor, and destroy anyone who dares to disagree with their radical ideology - because to them, "tolerance" only applies to blind obedience.
Great news.
Underworld
bass4funk
And closing the Education Department makes education better?
Give me a break.
Trump has no intention of giving the states anything.
Ah_so
And now no one will know how bad education is in the USA, particularly in the Republican states, which have the lowest standards of all
bass4funk
I agree. This was something that should have been done a long time ago, since 1984
Underworld
JayToday 07:54 am JST
Oh, you don't like education because you think it will make kids more empathetic?
No, it hasn't.
bass4funk
Well, he can’t either way, that’s up for Congress to decide, finalize and allocate.
asdfgtr
Pure evil.
Would be comical if children's wellbeing weren't at stake.
stormcrow
Bernie Sanders has stated that it's bizarre that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, would take school lunches away from poor children. Why? Because, according to Bernie, the addiction to greed is so great among these money addicts that they have no sense of shame in taking away lunches for poor children if it enriches these billionaires.
bass4funk
Yeah, don’t get me started on school lunches in the U.S., that’s a separate topic in itself that we can talk about in-depth
I'veSeenFootage
↑ Idiotic far-right propaganda based on racist dog-whistles and utter silliness. This is what the conservative indoctrination does to people's brains.
Politik Kills
He said it, remember? “I love the uneducated”
Why? Because they are easily duped by his huckster, carnival barker, lies.
of course those evil, poisonous ‘moms for liberty’ are on board with this. And anyone celebrating this as a good thing must be lumped in with them.
asdfgtr
Donald Trump: "I LOVE THE POORLY EDUCATED."
https://www.reuters.com/article/world/trump-loves-the-poorly-educated-and-social-media-clamors-idUSKCN0VX2DE/
ok1517
First of all, he, Donald Dumb thinks again he is above the law!
He isn't! Shutting down this department would need approval from Congress and I still don't believe there are enough deranged ones to support this!
Second, how is this supposed to work:
"take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely"
Close the Department, but let all programs run. Who will run them? MAGA?? God help America (if you still believe in him!).
He, Donald Dumb, wants to keep people at his level - uneducated, unable to understand basic facts, just believing in what they're told. It worked before (Nazi Germany, former GDR, NK), it still works!
Seth Majer
Whatever the Department of Education is doing it ISN'T working. There are 3rd countries that have better reading and math efficiency than many innercities of the World's supposed top country. How does that work?
bass4funk
If you look at the stats of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) you will see insanely significant disparities in reading and math proficiency among Black students compared to their peers.
California:
• 4th Grade Math Proficiency:
• Black Students: 52% scored at or above the Basic level; 10% at Proficient; 1% at Advanced.
• White Students: 85% at or above Basic; 52% at Proficient; 13% at Advanced.
• Asian Students: 89% at or above Basic; 63% at Proficient; 6% at Advanced.
Black students in the richest state still scored overall lower than Whites or Asians,
The average mathematics score for Black 8th-grade students was 23 points lower than that of White students.
• **4th Grade Reading Proficiency:** • **Black Students:** **28%** at or above Basic; **7%** at Proficient; **1% **at Advanced. • **White Students:** **72%** at or above Basic; **44%** at Proficient; **12%** at Advanced. • **Asian Students:** **79%** at or above Basic; **50%** at Proficient; **17%** at Advanced.This gap has remained relatively stable over the years, with a 30-point difference noted in 1998, when it comes to math scores, reading is words, now how can that be? California is a one party state. It’s completely run by Democrats and with all the money going to the largest and richest state, Blacks are still at the bottom when it comes to reading, writing and math.
wallace
The DOE does not set the curriculum that is set by the states. Americans on JT commenting but their children attend Japanese schools.
Will the $280 billion saved be given to the states?
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) will remain.
"DoDEA currently operates 161 schools in 9 districts located in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. There are nearly 900,000 military-connected Children of all ages worldwide, of which more than 64,000 are enrolled in DoDEA schools and served by more than 14,000 educators."
BB
The southern states and other MAGA strongholds routinely rank at the bottom of the rankings for education, so handing states more power isn't going to end well.
bass4funk
No, he campaigned on this issue, everyone knew this was coming, everyone.
It will, it is, don’t worry, BUT in the meantime, he can still issue an EO and shut it down
Just as it states
Individual states and they will work with the parents and then they can determine what they want for their kids be that it’s a public, private, charter or homeschooling
It’s not about believing him, we believed the DOE since 1980 and $3 trillion later, nothing to show for it, so this is great news. The agency hasn’t helped kids, it’s done the opposite that’s why it is being eliminated.
Well, to your point that is exactly what is happening and that is way before Trump came on the scene, you can blame the man all you want, but the scores don’t like and it’s not him, never was, but if Blacks in a state like California that is run by Democrats and are not proficient in reading and math, then you know something is wrong, so it is a good and long overdue issue to shut it down.
Seth Majer
So you are saying that the Department of Education is useless and we don't need it anyways. Thanks!
BertieWooster
Education should be giving children the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. Trump is right.
wallace
The failure of students is the responsibility of the states, not the DOE.
bass4funk
The Department of Education helps fund schools, enforces education laws, and ensures students get equal opportunities. It manages student loans, collects education data, and supports research to improve learning. While states handle most education decisions, the department sets national policies and protects students’ rights, that is the general goal and it has not lived up to that goal
Most likely
Some areas will go away as well
Not sure what that has to do with the mainland and overall eradication of the DOE.
wallace
How do Americans in Japan find Japanese education for their children compared with schools in America?
Bob Fosse
Except the campaign issues you say shouldn’t be taken literally or he was just being sarcastic. Not those ones.
BB
Great at teaching math, reading and writing, as well as social responsibility - cleaning the schools etc. Not so great at critical thinking and self expression.
proxy
The US probably had the best education in 1979 and has been sliding ever since.
Canada does not have a national education department and does significantly better than the US on the PISA tests. The more local schools are, the better they are.
bass4funk
So what’s the solution? Ahh, for the Dems, more money, more money, that will help. Sorry, it won’t, the DOE is being shut and I’m very happy about that. Again, long overdue. Now it’s up to Congress to put the final nail in the coffin of this wretched department, just saying…
plasticmonkey
As you used to say, you were homeskooled. So I'll take your opinion with a big grain of salt.
I'veSeenFootage
Shutting down departments to fund tax cuts for the rich elites certainly won't help either.
Blacklabel
Education is much more effective, efficient and economical when run at the local and state level, yes.
We need to be paying people to teach, not to politicize.
ok1517
@Wallace,
to answer your question: all my 3 children attend(ed) public Japanese schools and 2 of them are pretty successful already. Not that the Japanese education system is perfect, not at all, too much pressure (for too many gram schools, returning home late in the evening), education like XX years ago with no positive major changes and so on. But all in all, as for me, I can't complain.
BB
Oklahoma wants to indoctrinate kids with rubbish conspiracy theories that justify storming the capital.
https://truthout.org/articles/new-oklahoma-school-curriculum-requires-students-to-learn-the-big-lie/
bass4funk
You’re confusing him with Kamala, that’s why she lost, we all saw the sarcasm
I never ever said that. So not sure why you would even bring that up, but to clarify, I absolutely support it, because the DOE has failed miserably, and nothing wrong with homeschooling, a lot of child actors do it and have done it.
Has nothing to do with my opinion, I’m just stating facts nothing more and if you don’t like them, it’s ok, but still the DOE is closing down and that is a good thing.
Bob Fosse
Nope. You fell for it and now have to backpedal by pretending you didn’t.
patkim
Of course Trump wants to dismantle it. Since this department is responsible for helping the disabled and offering special education funding, it proves that he has no need for the marginalized. He sees handicapped and disabled people as not real people. As long as kids are white, healthy, and not handicapped, he likes them. He is such a terrible person. Since the department also conducts literacy research and initiatives, it shows that Trump doesn't really care that kids are able to read. Besides, I bet Trump has not put in one ounce of effort in actually educating his own children.
virusrex
A positive side is that this is less likely to have negative international repercussions compared with other measures being implemented. it is going to be terrible for the US citizens in the medium to long term but at this point the international community is already accepting the descend of US to developing countries levels.
wallace
Who is responsible for the education standards of American students?
"In the United States, education standards for students are primarily the responsibility of individual states, not the federal government, with states and local communities setting academic standards and curriculum. "
"Each state has a department of education that oversees education policy, sets academic standards, and manages teacher certification. "
There are no national standards.
Which state has the highest education standards?
Based on rankings and data, Massachusetts consistently ranks high for education standards, particularly in Pre-K-12 and higher education attainment.
Massachusetts has the highest math and reading test scores in the U.S. and the second-highest median ACT score of 25.1
"A New England state, Massachusetts had been a Democratic-leaning state since 1928, and a Democratic stronghold since 1960, and is still considered a deeply blue state today."
Express sister
The truth is that much of the US is and has been at developing country levels for a long time. The wealth centers mask this, but you can walk from opulence to a shanty town in Miami in under 45 minutes. This isn't the people's fault, of course. And it isn't exclusive to the US (the UK, famously, would be below Mississippi in terms of GDP if you took London out of the equation).
But the problem is that, no matter what your view of America (and mine isn't very high), there was stability. Without stability, danger is omnipresent. As Gramsci said: the old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.
Express sister
You're just quoting your defunct far-right website whose latest "news" is from 2020. Please consider attempting independent thought.
virusrex
The problem is that from the extreme conservative point of view being scientifically accurate becomes "a liberal perspective" even when the rest of the world consider it just an objective description of reality.
When things like the value of vaccination, the shape and time of existence of the planet or the social component of gender are said extreme conservatives will call this invalid and liberal just because they want to believe differently from what can be proved objectively.
Of course, but since the results of the elections were announced people of the world understood well enough that the country was in a descending spiral and other countries should be taking measures to keep their distance, having US citizens with lower and lower standards of education is completely inside what is expected and not likely to change anything, people without capacity or moral compass are already being elected so it is not like this could become worse.
bass4funk
Well, that’s the problem, you’re approaching this with emotion and nothing more, you can’t have any civil discussion with anyone one emotion is injected into a debate. Either way, it’s now up to Congress to to put a nail in the coffin and let the DOE get the proper and rightful burial it so desperately deserves.
Relax. Not quoting that happened, you can’t jump up and down, whine, get angry, none of it matters. The DOE is closed, that is the ONLY thing that matters, I didn’t do it, that’s on the Federal Government and educators, they are the ones who failed our students, I’m just one of the ordinary voters who voted with the promise of this department being shut down and it happened, so I’m good.
Chico3
Yes and no on this. It is the responsibility of the states and the DOE to educate and to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment where students can engage and learn while building their self confidence.
It is also the responsibility of both parties to give students a safe learning environment so students can concentrate more on their learning and less on neighborhood violence.
However, it is not the responsibility of the state to make students learn. An example is from the proverb, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." That responsibility is from the parents. The state is not the students' parents, it's the parents.
It is the responsibility of both parties to provide students with a competitive edge with their peers around the world.
When you ban books and learning, you are also blocking students' access to uncensored learning, thus giving students an educational handicap from the rest of the world.
wallace
Since Trump took office he has increased the unemployment figures.
Express sister
No, I formed an opinion based on facts. I know that this is an alien concept to you, because you like to saythat whatever your fat overlord (overlard?) says is amazing, but some people can actually look at reality.
Literally none of this makes sense. Sober up. It's 10:19am.
bass4funk
Of course, that was the idea, to limit the size of the Federal government, and you’re shocked about that?
stormcrow
“Yeah, don’t get me started. . . “
Why are you against school lunches for poor kids?! Wanna give Musk a few more bucks on his big tax cut?
Express sister
This is true. With some exceptions that bar elected officials (being too young, not being of sound mind, etc.) it is a virtue to allow anyone from anywhere to represent their people.
But the drawback is that our government, as are many around the world, are not bound by laws that they set, but by gentleman's agreements. When we elect someone who is not a gentleman, the ground beneath us is no longer solid.
Ricky Kaminski13
When you get long winded articles like this on JT, rather rare, you can guarantee it’s a hit piece.
A bit different to the title though,
Once again for those with the dreaded derangement syndrome, I know there is strength in numbers, but do you really need to share and spread it as far and wide as possible. Oh yeah, forgot , the savior syndrome. You are spreading your truth, if not the sad and sorry version.
I would suggest that by omitting positive stories like the astronauts returned to a dolphin welcome ( inspirational ) the other day and by writing and publishing as many panic laden sky-is-falling stories like we see here today in its stead, you maybe in fact making things worse for your readers? JT obviously has a young reader base, so has anyone considered their mental health? Reading the collective meltdown pieces day in day out can’t be good for them, is this done by design or just by default? Do these discussions have ever even take place? Would love to hear about that in the podcast. You guys have claimed to offer a balanced news place but I’m not sure if that’s the case. It seems more sometimes like an echo chamber.
Education back in the hands of the states, more voice for local communities, more agency and finally, Americans were largely unhappy with the DEI mush and indoctrination pushed by the federal education that their children were subjected to. At least offer some of the justifications. Many voted for Trump not out of some sort of adulation for him, but due to the insanities, over reach and excesses of the previous administration, and education was a big ticket. Have people conveniently forgotten that?
Good luck with the reforms guys. Something had to be done. Hope it works out, the world is watching.
bass4funk
Well, it’s not keeping the DOE open right?, so those are the facts, you don’t like it, take it up with the President.
plasticmonkey
The DOE won't be put in a coffin. First, it would take 60 Senate votes, and those votes do not exist. Second, loans and grants will still be managed by DOE. If Trump wants to cut those, he'll be hoisting himself on his own petard. Again.
Express sister
I actually love this reply because it so clearly distills the right-wing world view: "Do not think. Do not form opinions. Do not consider facts. Listen to the leader. Obey the leader. We must do what the fuhrer says. We must be good boys and girls. We must not think. We must not think. We must not think."
u_s__reamer
Well, what else can you expect when you put an intellectually-challenged felon in charge with a sharpie who only has ears for every cruel suggestion of his malevolent courtiers. This dimwit administration is proving to be no slow trainwreck.
Cephus
"Trump orders plan to dismantle Education Department."
How about "Trump orders plan to hand over Education Department back to the States." Because that's what he is really trying to do!
bass4funk
It will or at the very least it will be a former shadow of itself, but it won’t be the bloated disaster it was.
Well, you have to obey, once Congress closes it down or massively defund it, again, you can’t complain, but it’s happening it has happened and it’s the beginning of only
Express sister
The right: You must obey. You cannot complain. Free speech exists only insofar as you can attack minorities. You may not speak out against your government. Speaking ill of The Leader is a crime. This is only the beginning. You will have no rights. And you will like it. Do not think. Do not think. Do not think.
bass4funk
Seems like the DOE did just that.
Or you could write you local Congressman and make your voice heard or vote Democrat and see if they can make inroads, that would be the best way and only to fight this.
plasticmonkey
I think you're seriously misguided about what DOE does.
71% of DOE's budget goes to grants and loans to college students. I guess you consider that an unnecessary expense.
Another 25% goes to "states, localities and tribes for K-12 schools, especially for low-income school districts and for educating students with disabilities." Is that bloat?
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/mar/20/harriet-hageman/does-less-than-25-of-education-department-spending/#sources
virusrex
Which again is terribly bad for the US, but in comparison much less damaging for other countries compared with other measures being implemented.
Of course for that you have to ignore all the arguments and base this claim only on the irrational assumption that anything negative being reported is automatically wrong when it applies to someone you don't want to accept could do anything wrong.
The kind of people that make this claim are not exactly worth emulating
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/18/minnesota-justin-eichorn-arrested-soliciting-minor
No, not really, that is a claim already demonstrated as false.
https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/you-are-probably-wildly-underestimating-how-many-americans-support-dei-new-study-shows/91157848
Across five separate polls, when asked whether they agreed with 15 pro-diversity statements like “Racial diversity benefits the country” and “It is OK with me if my state taxes are used for college scholarships for students from minority groups so that they can attend the state’s public university,” a massive 82 percent of respondents said yes.
plasticmonkey
I suspect part of the reason for Trump cutting down DOE at the knees is pressure from predatory lenders. The complaint about "politicization" is just a ruse to get the MAGA crowd on board.
I'veSeenFootage
Or maybe, the Trump administration could do things that DON'T make the world worse and people panic in general? Because stuffing your hand in the sand to focus on "feel-good stories" while a few insane right-wingers try to turn America into a fascist state is certainly not the way to go.
bass4funk
Which many can’t pay back or even afford, so who pays for it? Biden wanted to erase all student loan debt, typical lib analogy and then where does the debt go? In thin air?
Ok, so low income, then why are Blacks at the bottom of the educational ladder? Particularly in Rich states like California and NYC, they have enough money, why are these kids failing? So far NOT Single lib can or will say the obvious. It’s not Trump’s fault of even the Republicans, because both states are Democrat echo chambers. It’s not a ruse, Since 1980 Dems had more than enough time to fix all of these problems and disparities and they didn’t. So on to the chopping block this bloated agency goes.
Express sister
Were you homeschooled? It seems like you could have used the DoE, because you don't know what the word "analogy" means.