NEA President: "Trump and Musk have aimed their wrecking ball at public schools...to pay for tax handouts for billionaires"

National Education Association President Becky Pringle released the following statement reacting to Donald Trump’s Executive Order pushing to end the Department of Education:   

“Most of us believe every student deserves opportunity, resources, and support to reach their full potential no matter where they live, the color of their skin, or how much their family earns.  

“Over the last few weeks, Donald Trump and Elon Musk have been working to destroy programs students and families rely on, protections that ensure the most vulnerable in our society are cared for, and the investments in our communities that create jobs and drive economic growth. They have ruthlessly and relentlessly tried to destroy public services that millions of Americans rely on. From veterans' care to safe food and clean water, national parks, life-saving medical research, and so much more, there seems to be no limit to what the Trump administration is willing to cut so billionaires can continue paying less in taxes than teachers, nurses, and firefighters.  

“Now, Trump and Musk have aimed their wrecking ball at public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America, by dismantling public education to pay for tax handouts for billionaires.  

“Their plans are clear and if enacted, the real victims will be our most vulnerable students. Gutting the Education Department will send class sizes soaring, cut job training programs, make higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, take away special education services for students with disabilities, and gut student civil rights protections.   

“Congress created the Department of Education, and only Congress has the power to end it. And the vast majority of Congress – including 60 House Republicans - rejected gutting public education last session, knowing it would only hurt our students. Students get one shot at an education. We will advocate night and day to ensure all of them have the great public schools they deserve. 

“McMahon may be calling this their ‘final mission,’ but educators and families remain focused on our sole mission: teaching our students and ensuring every student has the opportunities and resources to learn and thrive. We will work together to protect our students, to protect public education and our communities.    

“We won’t be silent as anti-public education politicians try to steal opportunities from our students, our families, and our communities to finance tax cuts for billionaires. Together with parents and allies, we will continue to organize, advocate, and mobilize so that all students have well-resourced schools that allow every student to grow into their full brilliance."   

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org