Senate Democrats Hold Forum on Cost of Closing Department of Education
On Tuesday, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) hosted a forum with ten Senate Democrats to discuss the Trump Administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED). The forum, "Abandoning America's Promise: The Real Cost of Dismantling the Department of Education," aimed to raise awareness about the negative impacts on students, families, educators, and schools.
Testimonies were given by Rhode Island's Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green, The Education Trust CEO Denise Forte, parent advocate Diane Willcutts, and Army veteran Tasha Berkhalter. They emphasized ED's crucial roles, including distributing funds, collecting data, overseeing student loans, and leading the Office for Civil Rights. Willcutts highlighted the importance of the Office of Special Education (OSEP) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in supporting students with disabilities and their families. She told a story about how "one phone call from ED helped a district change its position…so a child [at home due to epilepsy] could take the bus and return safely to school."
Senator Murray noted that abolishing ED is "deeply unpopular," highlighted the chaos and uncertainty caused by the Administration's actions, and vowed that Senate Democrats would oppose the abolition of ED.