In a fiery speech in Philadelphia this past Saturday, President Donald Trump vowed to completely shut down the Department of Education if he returns to the White House.
This bold proposal is aimed squarely at dismantling the “indoctrination” of students through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and the integration of “woke sexual content” in school curricula.
For years, American schools have been plagued by leftist teachers and administrators more focused on pushing a political agenda than on education.
During the rally, Trump outlined his vision for a radical overhaul of the American education system, emphasizing a return to state control and away from federal oversight.
“I will shut down the federal Department of Education, and we will move everything back to the states where it belongs and where they can individualize education and do it with the love for their children,” Trump said.
WATCH:
Just in: President Trump says he will shut down the department of education if he wins.
pic.twitter.com/fvgb6AMC1R— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) June 22, 2024
This isn’t the first time Trump has criticized the Department of Education. He has long advocated for school choice and local control over education, arguing that parents and local communities are best positioned to understand and meet the needs of their students.
“The United States spends more money on education than any other country in the world, and yet we get the worst outcomes. We’re at the bottom of every list,” said Trump in a video campaign released last year.
“American society pours more than a trillion dollars a year into public education systems. But instead of being at the top of the list, we are literally at the bottom. Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work and in life, and the world of keeping our country strong so they can grow up to be happy, prosperous, and independent citizens.”
Here are the 10 key ideas proposed for improving schools and leading to great jobs, as outlined in Trump’s speech:
- Parental Control: Respect the right of parents to control the education of their children.
- Empowerment of Local Schools: Empower parents and local school boards to hire and reward great principals and teachers, and to fire those whose performance is unsatisfactory.
- Focus on Essential Learning: Ensure that classrooms focus on teaching essential knowledge and skills like reading, writing, math, science, and arithmetic rather than political indoctrination.
- Patriotism in Education: Teach students to love their country.
- Prayer in Schools: Support the reintroduction of prayer in schools.
- Safe and Secure Environment: Maintain schools that are safe, secure, and drug-free, with immediate expulsion for students who harm others.
- School Choice: Give parents the right to choose different schools for their children, promoting school choice.
- Project-Based Learning: Ensure students have access to project-based learning experiences to prepare them for practical, real-world work.
- Internships and Work Experiences: Strive to provide all students with access to internships and work experiences that pave the way to their first job.
- Career Counseling: Ensure that all schools offer excellent job and career counseling to help students prepare for their future careers according to their talents.
