Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday took a very controversial but historic decision and signed the order that the US Education Department is to end forever. This decision is the thinking of the right -wing ideology that has been going on for decades, which believes that the Federal Government should be controlled not with the Federal Government, but with the states.
In a special ceremony held in the East Room of the White House, Trump signed the order by sitting among the school children and pushed it forward smiling. They said, “We are taking education back where it is actually a place – with the state governments. The Federal Education Department did not give us any benefit. Now it’s time to close it.”
Education department was made in 1979, plan to end now
Significantly, the US Education Department was established in 1979 under an Act of the Congress, and it is not possible only by the order of the President. Congress approval is mandatory for this. However, this order of Trump can include measures such as stopping the funding of the department and closing the salary of the employees, so that the department automatically becomes inactive.
Along with ordering in this direction, Trump has instructed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to start the process of terminating the Education Department and prepare an action plan to hand over the necessary powers to the states.
The role of Elon Musk and the election promise of Trump
The move is considered to be an important part of Trump’s election strategy. He promised in the 2024 election campaign that he would reduce the federal bureaucracy and would give freedom to the state governments in the field of education. It is being told that Tech veteran Elon Musk is also assisting Trump in technically implementing this decision.
Political response: Democrats said “Dangerous power grab”
After this order, political reaction also remained intense. Chak Shumor, the top leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate, made Trump’s move “A dangerous step leads to dictatorship” told. He said that this could be the biggest devastation for America’s education system so far.
At the same time, prominent leaders of the Republican Party such as Florida Governor Ron Desantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott were present at the ceremony to support the decision.
Education vs. Politics: Fresh Chapter of an old fight
Education in America has always been a political and cultural battleground. Especially the Republican believes that through the Education Department, the Federal Government provides unnecessary intervention, so that the states are unable to create education policy according to their culture and values.
Trump has described this decision as the way for the country to save money and improve educational standards. He claims that the US is still behind in the field of education compared to Europe and China.
Will the future of education be in the hands of the states now?
Now the big question is whether the control of education can actually be assigned to the states? Will the Congress support Trump’s order? And the most important thing – will this decision be in the interest of students?
At the moment, Trump has started a new chapter, but its impact will have a profound impact on America’s education system, politics and social structure in the coming time – there is no doubt.
