7 Smart Reasons to Abolish the Department of Education in 2021
The United States Department of Education has been operating since 1980. However, already in 1981, Ronald Reagan promised to abolish this department and limit the interference of the federal authorities in the schools’ related issues. The president believed that education was the responsibility of the state and regional authorities.
Read through carefully for information on the 7 Smart Reasons to Abolish the Department of Education.
According to Essay Shark, Reagan showed concern over the educational matters in the country. In 1983, a special state committee named the “National Commission on Excellence in Education” was created. It published a report which highlighted the critical and disastrous condition of students’ knowledge and skills.
Unfortunately, the President’s initiative was not supported in Congress. Funny fact is that the department was not only abolished. It received additional financing of $5 billion per year.
Members of the Republican Party during the election race in 1996 also stated that the department should be abolished. Donald Trump promised the same during his election campaign. They all believed that the federal government does not have enough rights to dictate rules for all schools all over the country.
The education system of America occupies the 25th position on the list of 72 countries. They participated in the research of the Programme of the International Students Assessments (PISA).
According to the report of the PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies), 43 million Americans have only elementary signs of literacy. Almost 27 million people can read and write, however, they face difficulties while filling in the application form in the hospital or reading a fresh newspaper. Experts evaluated over 8.4 million citizens as “functionally illiterate” as their knowledge and skills were below the average elementary level. Another 8 million people couldn’t participate in the survey due to a language gap or a physical inability.
The National Human Development Report of 2018 stated that the United States of America takes the 44th place out of 177 in the chart on the population’s literacy level. Who is to blame?
The existing system of education indicated its inefficiency caused by the countrywide bureaucracy and excessive expenses of the federal budget. The representatives of Congress offered to liquidate the United States Department of Education. Thomas Massie, an American Republican politician introduced a corresponding bill into Congress in 2017. The department was not abolished. However, the issue is live again. According to the renovated bill, the Department of Education must be abolished no later than December 31, 2020.
Politicians believe that the education of the children and youth must be regulated by the parents, educational specialists, local and state authorities. According to the congressman Andrew Biggs, these people have the best understanding of children’s individual needs. Since the day it created, the Department of Education has grown into a monstrous federal organ that spreads a single educational complex all over the country. It is called “Common Core”. The Republicans are sure that its time to reject cut-and-dried solutions imposed by the federal government and return the authority to the local level.
Average American citizens assume that Washington is just wasting the money of the taxpayers. They pretend to be solving educational problems but in reality, the department solves none. People are sure that the abolishment of certain establishments can reduce the budget considerably. Moreover, USA citizens believe that the Department of Education doesn’t deal with any issues in the system except for the “prevention of discrimination”. The system needs to be changed to work on its direct responsibilities.
Donald Trump agrees with this idea. The President is pretty sure that the country has to get rid of the Department of Education. And if the full liquidation is impossible then they must limit the terms of influence and power. Trump believes that the ministers working on the programs think only about the ideological handling and not about the education of the children of the nation.
7 Reasons to Abolish the Department of Education
If you still have not realized why is it important to abolish the US Department of Education, we prepared 7 smart reasons for you.
1. It’s not working
As we have previously mentioned, the results of the department’s work have not changed or even deteriorated in the last 40 years. The question is, why do we continue using the system that doesn’t work?
2. The Budget of the Department of Education is mind-blowing
The DE is not just a group of people working on creating annual educational plans. This is a huge governmental organ that has more than four thousand employees. The annual budget varies from $70 to $100 billion. Have you felt the impact? We neither. The reports state that the results of the department’s work are either flat or declined.
3. We will get a diverse educational experience
The decentralization will increase the diversity of the educational system. Every state could set its standards and priorities. It will be easier for families to decide what to spend money on as far as education is concerned. Children’s individuality will be taken into account and give them more options in studying and, as a result, career opportunities.
4. Less stress for students
The nowadays assessment system is harsh on children. Testing is already huge stress. Many students want to achieve excellent results but fail due to high pressure. With the abolishment of the DE, we could work on reducing stress in classrooms and treating everyone as individuals.
5. It limits children’s’ freedom
Did you know that the DE is keen on collecting data? They track children’s performances and actions from preschool to college and even career. One of the reasons is that they take shots of your child’s eye movement and facial expressions in different situations and then use it to determine various physical and mental conditions.
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6. It goes beyond its verge of powers
When the Department of Education addresses the educational establishments on the national level, it used its power to blackmail the states. If the state doesn’t agree with the system or the program suggested by DE, the federal government won’t provide any fundings for educational purposes.
7. It’s not in the constitution
According to the constitution, there is absolutely no need for the federal government to control education. Moreover, the word “education” never appears on its pages. The State and the people have the right to handle this matter.
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CSN Team.
