Title
Opposing any attempts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education or slash federal funding for public school programs that support low-income students and students with disabilities.
Body
WHEREAS, The Trump administration has begun dismantling the U.S. Department of Education without transparency or the required consent of Congress. In a bicameral letter to the Acting Secretary of Education sent on February 21, 2025, members of Congress demanded answers for 'what appears to be a series of steps intended to achieve the illegal elimination of the Department that will undermine the ability of the Department to effectively administer and oversee federal education programs and funds, exposing them to increased risk for waste, fraud, and abuse; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Education and its more than 4,000 federal employees have never set or imposed curriculum on locally authorized public school districts. Rather, the Department of Education enforces civil rights law and provides support to local districts to ensure equal access to education for all students, including those with disabilities and those from low-income households; and
WHEREAS, Gutting the Department of Education would mean fewer teachers and support staff, more crowded classrooms, and fewer pathways to higher education for middle and working class students; and
WHEREAS, Gutting and slashing the Department of Education would increase the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse while hurting students and communities:
? 26 million vulnerable kids in every school district across the nation; rural, suburban and urban will lose critical services designed to get them ahead and on grade level.
? 7.5 million students with disabilities (15 percent of students) in every community in America will lose access to special education services funded by the federal government.
? 10 million students from working-class families could lose needs-based Pell Grants or subsidized loans, increasing college c...
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