Former President Donald Trump revealed Saturday that he plans to shut down the Department of Education if he retakes the White House in 2024.
Axing the Department of Education is part of an education platform Mr. Trump will announce on March 13, he told reporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“It’s time,” Mr. Trump said. “Close it up. When you look at the list of countries, we’re always at the bottom [on education]. We spend more money per pupil and we’re always at the bottom of a list of 40 countries. And we should close it up and let local areas, and frankly, states, handle education.”
Republicans have long been at odds with the Department of Education since President Carter created a cabinet-level education secretary. His successor, President Reagan, advocated for eliminating the department two years after its creation.
Education has emerged as a hot issue for conservatives in the U.S. after parents began challenging school boards over COVID-19 shutdowns and mandates and school curricula colored by liberal politics.
During the COVID-19 school shutdowns and remote learning regimes, many parents saw the subject matter taught to their children and objected to polarizing or explicit lessons.
House Republicans have pushed forward a plan to empower parents with a Parents Bill of Rights to fight against what they describe as woke and dysfunctional school systems.