Do you agree with the Trump administration’s goal of shuttering the Education Department entirely?

👍 Yes (29%) – "Both of my parents worked in grade schools and high schools before and after the department was created. They saw nothing but a steady decline in quality of education after the department began implementing country wide policies and standards. Leaving education decisions up to the state gives more power to teachers and parents, the people actually invested in the child’s education and future! Keep bureaucrats out of my kids school education!!"

• "I was in the position of hiring individuals from 1975 thru 2000, and found that the steady decline of thinking, reasoning, and common reading/writing and arithmetic capabilities lessened the "eligibility" rate of applicants to fall from about 50% to around 10% when I retired."

"The Education Dept is just another example of bloated federal bureaucracy and over-reaching nanny state government that exists to mandate politically correct dictates to the states in exchange for federal money. This is the kind of extortion the fed uses to bring the states into line with their political agenda. It serves no purpose that the individual states could not handle themselves. Thomas Jefferson himself would have immediately dismantled any such agency that would override the freedoms accorded the states in the constitution. Jefferson was a strong proponent of states' rights, viewing them as a crucial defense against a potentially overbearing central government. He believed the United States was formed through a social contract between states, limiting the power of the federal government. He was naturally distrustful of any concentrated power, and viewed states' rights as a vital safeguard for civil liberties. So I say, take it down.. sooner rather than later. And return power to the states to make their own decisions around what our children need to learn, and how they should learn it. For all the billions the Education Dept spends, all we've gotten in return are declining test scores, compromised standards, DEI policies and politically correct, liberal brainwashing of our youth."

👎 No (64%) – "The states and school districts already control education - what and how to teach. The federal USDOE ensures that many of our most vulnerable students receive proper education - students with disabilities and students who come from areas of lower socioeconomic status. Public schools educate over 90% of the country’s population - and we need the oversight from the government who partner with our states to continue to do so."

• "Although the reading and math levels have declined, the full blame does not fall on the ED. States each develop their own curriculum which have not had the positive outcomes the US needs to compete with other countries. Maybe less should be in the hands of the states?"

The federal government has an obligation to ensure that every child receives a quality education and there's no serious case to be made otherwise. There is room for improvement and reform, yes, but shuttering the department sure does make it seem like this administration doesn't believe that everyone deserves access to education."

• "Without a federal agency focused exclusively on education, federal funding for education is likely going to become deprioritized. Some of the nation’s poorest states (mostly Red states) will be the biggest losers when federal funding for schools decline."

"The education department plays a crucial role in shaping the future of individuals and societies by ensuring equitable access to quality education for all. Shutting down or dismantling the education department would have a variety of negative consequences."

• "Looking to blame agencies that you do not agree with takes away the protections for citizens to have the right to the education they deserve. This stifles the poor and creates yet another barrier to those that can't otherwise afford the education they deserve."

"Should there be a deep dive and review of its policies, procedures, and efficiency? Of course, and it should be done by a non-partisian group, whose goal is to make it better. To dismantle the department entirely would be determintal to the children and people served. There is so much disinformation about the Dept. of Education does and does not do. Dismantling the department will make things so much worse and it will be the children who suffer."

🤷 Unsure/other (7%) – "As an educator, I feel like public schools have to engage in an overwhelming and excessive amount of red tape, paperwork and the checking of boxes (with no real education merit or value) to access federal funding. Often these look like meetings that could have been an email or flyer, arbitrary "parent events" (in which we have to put on "dog and pony" shows instead of creating events that would be meaningful and helpful) and unnecessary and repetitive trainings that often do not impact our day-to-day practices. It would be a welcome relief to get rid of that nonsense and take those burdens off teachers' plates. On the other hand, though, the risk is that Feds will not just give the funding to the states and the states will not just disperse the money we need to simply survive. Instead we will have to reallocate money and hire more people who'll be paid with "administrative fees" that will gobble up that bucket of money instead of those funds going where they need to go - teacher pay, facilities updates and support staff. I'm afraid states will come back and require even more ridiculous red tape for us to get crucial monies. I'm not opposed to closing the Dept. of Ed, but I don't feel there is an appropriate plan in place to support public education at this time."