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Trump signs executive order to dismantle US Department of Education (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/usa@lemmy.ml
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Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that instructs the US education secretary, Linda McMahon, to start dismantling the Department of Education, seemingly attempting to circumvent the need to obtain congressional approval to formally close a federal department.

The administration may eventually pursue an effort to get Congress to shut down the agency, Trump said at a signing ceremony at the White House on Thursday, because its budget had more than doubled in size in recent years but national test scores had not improved.

The federal government does not mandate curriculum in schools; that has been the responsibility of state and local governments, which provide 90% of the funding to schools. Nevertheless, at the White House, Trump repeated his campaign promise to “send education back to the states”.

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[–] 19 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (4 children)

This sounds like some horrendous Taliban level shit but living in a federal system myself (Australia), k-12 education is primarily a state responsibility here as I believe it is in the US. I wouldn't want to see this happen in my own country but it wouldn't be the same as closing down the department of education in an unfederated country like New Zealand or most European nations where it would be disastrous.

Inconsistencies between states here (Australia) used to negatively impact students moving between states and entering tertiary education. Federal systems can be grossly inmeficient and full of duplication and barriers between states.

Unfortunately not having national standards is probably going to increase economic disadvantage in already disadvantaged red states which will only increase division in the US.

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    K-12 schools here are mostly handled by the states just like yours. But what this will mean is that FASFA will go in the near future, don't believe what the MAGAts will say about it being left alone because it will not last. They will likely try to kill it quickly in a few weeks or a few months if we are lucky. Without FASFA hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of current and future college students will not be able to afford to attend college and university. Private students loans are hyper predatory and not an option for the vast majority of students.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I wasn't aware of FASFA. I just looked at the distribution of funds by state and it looks like this is an overwhelming loss for red states, far worse than I expected.

    I know the US is fucking weird politically and culturally but anywhere else I would say if MAGA don't accelerate the transition from populism to authoritarianism they are leaving the door open to an alternative populist movement to give them a real thrashing in their heartland.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    Our system does not allow for the creation of real competing political parties outside of the 2 party system, and the Democrats are a controlled opposition with right of center politics, so this will never happen here

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    It's really no different here, i experienced it first hand as a kid moving between states. My gifted classes in a North Carolina elementary school were equivalent to several grade levels lower in Florida. The Dept. of Education is mostly about setting minimum standards, ensuring equal access, making sure children aren't discriminated against, and other regulations.

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