Trump Demands US Education Department Shut Down Now

Former US President Donald Trump has demanded that the US Education Department be closed immediately, referring to it as a "big con job". This is not the first time Trump has lashed out at the department, with his own Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, making similar comments while in office as well.

Trump's invitation to eliminate the Education Department is only one part of his greater agenda to reimagine the federal government

Trump asserts that the department is full of "radicals, zealots, and Marxists" who are hurting children. Trump's administration had earlier tried to shut down several small agencies, but Congress opposed them.

The Education Department plays a vital part in defining the nation's system of education, from grade school to college. Abolishing the department would need the backing of Congress, which is unlikely to be realized. Democrats as well as the majority of Republicans have shown unflinching opposition to Trump's proposal because it would deliver a crushing blow to the nation's system of education. 

Trump's action has ignited widespread outrage from parents, students, and teachers. Twitter and other social media have seen others post about their opposition to the plan using hashtags #ProtectPublicEducation and #SaveOurSchools.The National Education Association (NEA), which represents the largest teachers' union in the US, has denounced Trump's proposal as "a reckless and irresponsible attempt to dismantle the education system.

The NEA has vowed to fight any attempt to abolish the Education Department. While the controversy rages on, this is one thing for sure: Trump's demand that the Education Department be shut down has ignited a furious battle about the future of America's educational system. Since schools in the country are already grappling with numerous issues, the last thing they can do without is a rushed and poorly thought-out proposal to dismantle the very department that sustains them.