Over the past four years America has experienced an influx of changes within the public school system. Students lost half of their in person school year, online school was introduced, teacher strikes and shorages, as well as severe learning gaps. Not to forget the 266 school shootings in the United States since 2020. Education is always changing, but not all of America would agree that these future changes are for the better. 

Trump wishes to close The Department of Education, and move it back to the states. He says this will eliminate “indoctrinating America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing,” The biggest job for the Department of Education is to give money for education to the states. This goes with K-12 education as well as higher education. Programs such as Title 1 Program, are there to allot money to students who come from low income families to ensure they get the same academic opportunities as people from a higher socioeconomic status than them. These programs average around $28 billion dollars a year to K-12 students, as well as $15 billion dollars a year to low income college students. 

By eliminating the federal Department of Education, this would be giving parents control over what their children learn in school. The Republican Party has called for a Parental Bill of Rights.  In Trump's 10 point plan on education, he says “We will respect the right of the parents to control the education of their children.” This directly ties into Florida's “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed by Governor DeSantis where supporters of this legislation explain it by topics surrounding LGBTQ+ not to be discussed around students, and it is up to the parents to tell them when this is allowed. Trump said “I do think it is a good move.” Trump is anti gender expression in school. He continues to make false claims and exaggerations regarding negative queer propaganda in schools. At a Trump rally, he makes claims about students getting gender reassignment surgery at their public school!  “Can you imagine you’re a parent and your son leaves the house and you say, ‘Jimmy, I love you so much, go have a good day in school,’ and your son comes back with a brutal operation?” Trump says.  For the record, there has been not one single case in America of children getting gender affirming surgery in school. He continues to make claims and follow blind anti LGBTQ propaganda. 

In Donald Trumps on record speech about his ten point plan for education in the United States, he says “We will support bringing back prayer to our schools.” In the United States of America we do not have a national religion. In the 1st Amendment to the U.S Constitution we established freedom of religion. Freedom of religion is a key root to our democracy. It allows for voices that do not share the values of the majority. 

He will ensure that “We will teach students to love their country, not to hate their country like they’re taught right now.” Students are only being taught to not acknowledge the faults of their country, which is the only way to learn from past mistakes. For example, since January 2021, 44 states have introduced bills or taken alternative action that would restrict critical race theory or limit discussion about racism or sexism.  America has a concerningly low amount of knowledge regarding the Civil War. Only 8% of high school seniors can recognize the cause of the war was slavery. Based on a test of 100 students from Teacher Tolerance, only ⅓ of the students knew what amendment ended slavery. Students don’t need to be taught to blindly love their country alone, but also learn about our faults, and what it took to become the great, free nation that we are.

Trump's presidency will have a profound impact on public education in the United States, as Republicans have control over all three branches of government. Soon we will find out his pick for Secretary of Education, and see what steps will be taken to put his ideas into action.