By Solé Scott
Editor-in-chief
Linda McMahon on Thursday, Feb. 13 at her confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C.
The Department of Education is in dire trouble after the Trump administration calls for it to be dismantled.
On Jan. 20, Donald Trump announced an executive order to end the Department of Education. Since his first term, Trump has been advocating to dismantle the Department of Education.
“Having the department being dismantled is alarming and concerning,” business finance major Madison Macomber, a freshman,. “Having my mother and many close relatives being in the field is a scary thing.”
Congress approved the Department of Education in 1979 and was launched in 1980 during former President Jimmy Carter’s administration.
“The Department of Education’s a big con job,” Trump said.
Just recently, Linda McMahon, who is the nominee for secretary for the Department of Education, had a confirmation hearing on Feb. 13.
“Fund education freedom, not a government run system,” McMahon said.
McMahon served as the Administrator of the Small Business during Trump’s first term.
Her limited experience in the educational field is concerning, even though she served on the Connecticut State Board of Education briefly.
United States Senator Chris Murphy who represents Connecticut grilled McMahon during the hearing.
“This isn’t a lack of trust. It’s not like a little bit of lack of trust. They’re lying,” Murphy said.
Murphy also asked if taking an African American course would violate the executive order.
“I’m not quite certain, and I’d like to look into it further,” McMahon said.
The hearing was plagued with multiple protestors as McMahon spoke.
Elementary education major Ava Catalano, a sophomore, is apprehensive about the future of education.
“I think it’s pretty scary as a college student and as someone who is going into the educational field,” Catalano said.
This proposal was not only Trump’s idea, but also the controversial Project 2025, which Trump repeatedly denied having relations to.
“I can imagine funding being taken away from schools and lower income families, and then the IDA (students with disabilities) being taken away,” Catalano said.
Noteworthy enough Trump can not abolish the Department of Education without Congress.
If this plan does go through then schools that teach African American studies will be erased, special needs programs will be no more, Civil Rights protections and other programs put in place will be erased.
“The funding helped me with college and paying for that,” Catalano said.
As of right now, McMahon has not been confirmed as secretary, however she most likely will be chosen as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as secretary of Health and Human Services on Feb. 13.
“You have my absolute commitment that I will uphold and protect those investigations, those to make sure that those students are treated fairly on both sides,” McMahon said.
