WORCESTER – As President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House next year, local officials have raised concerns about the impact Trump’s presidency could have on education.
“I am deeply concerned,” U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, told the Telegram & Gazette. “Money will be diverted from public schools, and I expect he will continue his attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. He has not been an advocate for our public schools and I think (his administration) will try to cut the federal money going to the public schools. to our public schools.”
WORCESTER – Congressman Jim McGovern speaks after touring the new, expanded Kennedy Health Center.
Trump has laid out some of his education plans through his platform, Agenda 47, which he pushed on the campaign trail. The most notable issue Trump discussed during his campaign was said to be eliminating the Department of Education, the federal department that oversees federal education funding and the federal student loan program.
“I say it all the time, I’m dying to do this again. We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” Trump said at a rally in Wisconsin in September. “We will drain the government’s education swamp and end the misuse of your tax dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all the things you don’t want our youth to hear.”
McGovern said abolishing the Department of Education, which was created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, would be “chaotic.”
“It would mean that there are a lot of people who are entitled to help but can’t get it, and it would cause mass confusion,” McGovern said.
McGovern said Trump tried to cut federal spending on public education by $9 billion during his previous presidency, a move that was ultimately blocked by Congress. McGovern, who has served in Congress since 1997, said he believes the current Republican-controlled Congress would be less likely to block a similar effort if it does arise.
“During his first term, he tried to cut $9 billion in funding for public education, but it was blocked by Congress,” McGovern said. “It would take Congress to agree to this. Unfortunately, talking to some of my colleagues, I’ve heard that they will give him whatever he wants, which is shocking to me.”
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pointed out that Project 2025, a conservative initiative created by several former Trump administration aides, paints a problematic future for public education. Trump himself has denied that he had anything to do with Project 2025.
“Look at Project 2025. If implemented, Donald Trump’s plan would devastate public education in Massachusetts. Much-needed federal funds are on the chopping block. Student debt relief is in jeopardy. Protections for LGBTQ youth are in jeopardy. danger. I led the charge against Trump’s former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and I am prepared to fight for students, parents and teachers against whatever damage extremist Republicans are doing in Washington,” Warren said.
Other aspects of Trump’s Agenda 47 include cutting federal funding for schools deemed to teach “critical race theory,” changing the collegiate credential system that, according to his platform, is controlled by “radical left accreditors,” and promoting school choice. which would direct public education funding for students to private institutions.
“I’m all for parents making the decision that’s best for their children. If a parent wants to send their child to private school, that’s great. If they want to homeschool their child, I respect that too,” McGovern said . said. “But I believe every child has the right to attend a quality public school that can meet their needs, and our public schools cannot do that if they are chronically underfunded.”
State Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, who represents the Worcester and Hampshire district at the state level, did not respond to requests for comment.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester federal reps fear Trump’s education plans would be ‘chaotic’
