Eastside educators and leaders expressed concern after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to begin dismantling the Department of Education.
Hollenbeck Middle School teacher Ana Zamora Mazo said she began to worry when Trump initially announced plans to dismantle the Department during his election campaign.
“Now that the decision has been made, I am not just greatly concerned but also I am heartbroken,” the 7th-grade English teacher said. “This move doesn’t just threaten policy; it threatens our kids – our most vulnerable students, the ones who already face unimaginable hurdles every single day.”
The Trump administration said it intends to return education authority to individual states. A White House fact sheet cites low test scores in math and reading, among other reasons, and directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to take “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.”
Despite the directive’s intent to dismantle the federal agency, fully eliminating the Department of Education won’t happen without a vote from Congress. Under McMahon, the department’s staff has already been cut in half.
Mazo points out that federally funded programming like Title I and IDEAS are just some of the programs that Hollenbeck Middle School relies on. These programs feature tutoring, specialists who support students with disabilities, technology and parent workshops.
“Our kids are still climbing out of the deep learning losses caused by COVID. They are already behind. And now, with this decision, we are pulling the ladder away before they’ve even had a chance to reach for it. This isn’t just a policy shift – it’s a direct attack on our children’s future.”
The Department of Education has been responsible for enforcing laws against discrimination, providing funding for low-income students and students with disabilities, and overseeing college financial aid. According to the Associated Press, federal funding makes up roughly 14% of public school budgets, a relatively small portion.
In a press release, McMahon reassured that the move would not affect all services but did not provide specifics.
“Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them – we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs. We’re going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working through Congress to ensure a lawful and orderly transition,” the statement said.
Mendez High School’s Community School Coordinator, Emily Grijalva, also points out the responsibilities the Department holds, not just on funding federal programs but upholding laws set in place to protect students and personnel from discrimination.
“While I hope that we will maintain these protections and continue funding our schools in California, I still feel for conservative states and rural areas who have been basically given the green light to support racist, sexist and transphobic ideologies and laws in schools,” said Grijalva.
For local activist and founding member of the Brown Berets Carlos Montes, the fight for quality education started back in the late 1960s during the East L.A. Walkouts.
Montes called Trump’s order “an attack on LAUSD.”
“We had known he was going to cut back or lay off [staff], but to dismantle the whole thing is shocking and absurd,” said Montes. “It’s an attack on all working people, especially Black, Indigenous, Native American, Chicano and Central American people, as well as students who have special needs.”
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho shared a statement online:
“For those who argue that maybe there’s a better way of earmarking dollars directly to states through block grants and empower states with local decisions, I have news for you: That’s already the reality,” Carvalho said. “This begs the question, `Why?’ and `Why now?’ and `What is the impact long-term that will directly impact our kids?”
Cecily Myart-Cruz, President of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), a labor union of more than 35,000 educators across the city, referred to the directive as a “reckless anti-democratic move.” According to LAUSD, the majority of its funding comes from the state through income, sales tax, and local property taxes which are then distributed across California.
However, Cruz warned that the president’s decision still poses a risk for students who depend on federal funding, and advised people to be cautious of the president’s promises.
“Make no mistake: this isn’t about academic freedom. This ploy serves as a distraction while billionaires and technocrats steal from our communities, stripping public schools of vital resources and handing them over to crooks who put profits over children,” she said.
Sameer Gadkaree, the president of The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), said the decision weakens the nation’s higher education system and lowers the number of students attending college.
“Without a fully functioning Department, fewer students will be able to go to college, student loan borrowers are likely to default in droves, and fraudulent colleges could prey on students with near impunity and with no redress available for those who have been harmed. All of this undermines bipartisan goals of ensuring opportunity for students and families and creating a globally competitive workforce,” said Gadkaree.
