Kim Reynolds applauds closing of U.S. Dept. of Education

To the Editor,

   She cheered.

   Our governor got on an airplane two weeks ago, flew to Washington D.C., sat in the front row in the East Room, and cheered with eight other Republican governors as Donald Trump signed a presidential order to close the U.S. Department of Education.

   In 1979, Congress created the Dept. of Ed. with encouragement from President Jimmy Carter to ensure equal access to education for every individual. President Reagan made the campaign promise to end this department but couldn’t get the votes to do it. Same with President Bush in the 1990s; some historians write he lost the majority in the U.S. House by pushing for closure. You see, that’s when elected officials CARED about education. Congress said NO!

   The Dept. of Ed.’s (4,400 employees) biggest job is working with federal student loan programs (FASFA) and PELL grants. This ensures that students with income challenges have a fair shot at going to college. Don’t we still need an educated workforce?

   It manages Title 1 programs (Language Arts/Math) that serve our lowest income students. IDEA guarantees students with disabilities will also get an education. It also makes sure schools follow the laws for equal access to activities (Office for Civil Rights) and Title IX requirements.

   Does it set state curriculums? No. Does it work with graduation requirements or enrollments? Nope. Many of the 100,000 schools in our 50 states are run by state and local governments. In fact, this is where the majority of the funding comes from. But the U.S. Dept. of Education’s responsibilities are for our most vulnerable students. Each family from EVERY state is guaranteed that.

   Trump says he plans to keep college loans, Title 1, and special education services alive. He’s just going to “hand them off” to HHS and the Small Business Administration for operations. Without the Dept. of Ed.’s education focused mandate under one umbrella, money won’t be disbursed with care. And if he continues to starve this department with employee layoffs, it’ll be closed.

   Kim Reynolds is most excited to think funding from these programs COULD come back to the states in block grants. That means she’s running the checkbook with the Republican-led legislature and purchases like Trump’s “God Bless the USA Bible” for $59.99 could become a reality for school supplies! Ask Oklahoma!

   Project 2025 stated the U.S. Dept. of Ed. would be closing and here we are. In Trump’s world of “winners vs. losers” he doesn’t believe in the promise of an America for everyone. Neither does our governor – she cheers for Trump.

Mary Melchert

Monticello, Iowa