Staff ReportsDonald Trump has once again taken the educational establishment to task, calling the Department of Education a “con job” and expressing his desire to see it shut down immediately. This is someone who doesn’t shy away from calling it like he sees it, especially when American education has taken a dive into the abyss. The Department of Education, a bureaucratic behemoth birthed during Jimmy Carter’s era, has spent decades proving that it can spend more money per pupil than any other country while still managing to rank an embarrassing 40th globally in educational outcomes. It seems the only thing they excel at is wasting taxpayer dollars.
In a recent Fox News appearance, Trump laid out the dismal facts. While the U.S. might be a world leader in educational spending, its rankings tell a different story. The claim that America is No. 1 in cost per pupil but only 40th in actual education quality is like bragging about being the friendliest person in a room full of grumpy cats. Trump’s frustration over this situation isn’t just hyperbole; it’s the uncomfortable truth that American kids are being shortchanged while bureaucrats cash in on their incompetence.
Rewinding to the Reagan administration, the intentions to dismantle this educational colossus were set when Reagan appointed Terrel Bell as Secretary of Education with an explicit goal: cut the department down to size. Of course, the swamp had other plans, and Bell’s mission fell flat, leaving behind a gargantuan bureaucracy that continues to mismanage funds and promote a far-left agenda under the guise of education. As it stands, students are being bombarded with curriculum focused on oppression and privilege instead of the three R’s. What happened to good old American values and teaching kids to take pride in their country?
Now things are starting to shift, thanks to Trump’s executive orders aimed at pulling federal funding from schools teaching critical race theory (CRT) and pushing for school choice. One can only hope that this movement grows to encourage a return to basics—teaching kids about the importance of their heritage, fostering patriotism, and promoting national unity. After all, how can future generations unite when they’re taught to view each other through a divisive identity politics lens?
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The Department of Education (DOE) is criticized for its role in the decline of American education, with Donald Trump advocating for its immediate closure. He highlights the U.S. ranking at No. 40 globally in education despite high spending per pupil,…— The America One News (@am1_news) February 13, 2025
Despite the uphill battle ahead, Trump’s actions signal a willingness to confront the inertia of government expansion that has plagued America since the New Deal. Histories of government programs die hard, especially those as entrenched as the Department of Education. Everyone from legislators to educators entrenched in mediocre practices could be facing a reckoning, especially those whose livelihood has been rooted in the muck of federal waste and overreach. The pushback from those benefitting from the status quo may be loud, but America’s future depends on righting this sinking ship.
The time for change is now, and there’s no doubt that adding the Department of Education to the list of government redundancies is a worthy goal. After all, America is an exceptional nation and deserves an education system that reflects its values, not one that gains notoriety for its endless failures while indoctrinating the next generation. Teaching kids to love their country should be at the forefront—because a nation that fails to educate will be doomed to a cycle of mediocrity.
