By April Ryan
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The attack on private and public education by the Trump administration is dominating the news with the cuts in federal funding for Columbia and Harvard universities. These Ivy League institutions are in the bullseye of President Donald Trump for protests the White House calls antisemitic. The administration is actively cutting funds for schools that were the backdrop of student-held rallies in support of humanitarian efforts for Palestinians who have also been impacted in the war in Gaza. Now, the Trump administration is requesting the IRS revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status as they are fighting back against the federal defunding attempts. Harvard has billions of dollars on hand and says they don’t need federal funds, and now the administration is retaliating by trying to impact the prestigious school’s tax status.
As he attacks private institutions, it is said that President Trump wants to “destroy public education,” according to Becky Pringle, the president of the National Education Association. Pringle is witnessing the decline in elementary and secondary grade levels since the administration fired education headquarters personnel and withdrew funds for specialized learning programs. She has seen a number of special education teachers “fired.” Who will be impacted the most? According to Pringle, Black and brown communities “are more impacted more than any other community” with the shifts in education. Pringle says the Department of Ed was created to bridge the gaps for those in need and underserved. From behind the pole, Caroline Kennedy emphasized in one of the recent daily briefings that money taken from specialized programs will be allocated in different spaces.
Pringle does not believe the Trump administration. Will reallocate the funds to other departments. The modern U.S. Department of Education was created in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter to fight for civil rights in education to include those with learning differences and disabilities and low-income and marginalized persons. Many students nationwide also received grants for college through the department of education. If not, for those grants, the students may not be able to attend college.
