Closing Department of Education Will Resegregate Schools
March 20, 2025
Washington, DC – In response to news that President Trump plans to sign an executive order and take other actions to close the Department of Education, Advancement Project executive director Judith Browne Dianis issued this statement:
“Today’s executive order closing down the Department of Education directly harms 65 million public school children, 21 million college students, 7.5 million children receiving special education services, and their families. Among other things, the Department of Education prevents discriminatory practices from depriving students of educational opportunities, provides funding to schools serving children from rural and working-class communities, and ensures equal opportunity to women, girls, LGBTQIA+ students, students of color, and students with disabilities.
Closing ED means resegregated schools and a country where only the most privileged individuals can access quality educational opportunities while everyone else is left behind. We need a strong public education system for the sake of our multiracial democracy.
One thing is certain – the administration doesn’t have the legal authority to mandate this. Congress and the courts must act to protect the decades of progress toward educational equity that the Department made possible. If this order is left unchecked, the harmful effects on the quality of education received by children across the country will be felt for generations.
We must protect our young people before their futures are robbed right before our eyes. We call on members of Congress to use their power to check these lawless actions. We also call on state governors and attorney generals to work with school districts and families to enact policies that protect students from discrimination and address the funding gaps that will be created if federal education resources are eliminated.”
# # #
Advancement Project is a next-generation, multi-racial civil rights organization. Rooted in the great human rights struggles for equality and justice, we exist to fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy. We use innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high impact policy change. We are a co-convener of the National Campaign for Police Free schools, a formation of 20+ youth-led grassroots organizations fighting to end the criminalization of youth in the classroom, create liberatory educational spaces, and implement an affirmative vision of safety and transformative justice.Visit www.advancementproject.org to learn more.
