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| The BBC takes a look at the Department of Education, giving some of the parameters of what it's done, what it does, and what its responsibilities are. | ||
| Then this explainer, it says, what does the Department of Education do? | ||
| It says, of the common misconception is that the Department of Education operates U.S. schools and sets curricula. | ||
| That responsibility actually belongs to the state's local districts. | ||
| The agency does oversee student low programs and administrate PELS grants that help low-income students attend university. | ||
| It also helps fund programs to support students with disabilities and for students living in poverty. | ||
| And the department enforces civil rights law designed to prevent race or sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. | ||
| Under the money aspects, what's the budget and how many people work there? | ||
| The department's allocation was $238 billion in fiscal year 2024, less than 2% of the total federal budget. | ||
| The agency says it has about 4,400 employees, the smallest of any cabinet-level department. | ||
| And most public funding for U.S. schools comes from state and local governments. | ||
| Just announcements this week when it comes to layoffs at the Department of Education, 1,300 expected layoffs that were reported earlier this week. | ||
| And it was Linda McMahon earlier this week in an interview saying that Education Secretary said the mass layoffs were the first step towards shuttering the education department. | ||
| She goes on to be quoted saying, actually, it is because that was the president's mandate. | ||
| She told Fox News, his directive to me clearly is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know will have to work with Congress, you know, to get that accomplished. | ||
| That's some of the expectations and the events surrounding the Department of Education. | ||
| But when it comes to keeping it or eliminating it, what are your thoughts as well this morning? | ||
| If you support or oppose eliminating the Department of Education, 2027 8-8,000 for Democrats, 202-748-8001 for Republicans, and Independents, 202-748-8002, and educators and administrators for schools, you can get your thoughts on this topic as well. | ||
| 202-748-8003. | ||
| It was the president himself in the Oval Office during that meeting with the Irish Prime Minister was asked about the Department of Education, his goals for it. | ||
| Here's a portion of that from yesterday. | ||
| Linda McMahon is a real professional, very, actually, a very sophisticated business person, and she cut a large number, but she kept the best people. | ||
| And we'll see how it all works out. | ||
| But our country was run very badly. | ||
| I mean, whether it was that or contracts that were signed that was so bad, so obviously bad, and I go through them in speeches. | ||
| I could go through them all day long. | ||
| I could read for billions and hundreds of billions of dollars. | ||
| And all of that fat and waste and fraud and abuse is being taken out. | ||
| But it's incredible what's happened. | ||
| Now, Department of Education, maybe more so than any other place, has a lot of people that can be cut. | ||
| They're number one, not showing up to work. | ||
| Number two, they're not doing a good job. | ||
| And if you take a look at our education process, and if you look at the charts, because they have numerous charts where they do the top 40, we're at number 37, 38, 39, and 40. | ||
| And recently they hit during Biden's last few days, they hit last. | ||
| So they were number 40, and yet we're number one in cost per pupil. | ||
| So it's pretty bad. | ||
| But we have a dream, and you know what the dream is? | ||
| We're going to move the Department of Education. | ||
| We're going to move education into the states so that the states, instead of bureaucrats working in Washington, so that the states can run education. | ||
| So those were the president's thoughts on the Department of Education when it comes to eliminating it or keeping it. | ||
| What are your thoughts as well? | ||
| Again, the numbers on the screen. | ||
| Choose the one that best represents you. | ||
| Some of you are already posting on Facebook this morning. | ||
| This is Nancy Palier saying that she supports it, saying that's a useless agency, more damaging than helpful. | ||
| Greg Moser saying he opposes it. | ||
| The states will not replace the lost federal funding and programming. | ||
| From Rob Hartman, saying that's going to make local school taxes double. | ||
| If you think senior citizens are struggling now, you better buckle up. | ||
| And then Barry Davis from Facebook, get rid of it. | ||
| It's going back to the states. | ||
| More money for education, less the federal employees. | ||
| Let's hear from you. | ||
| This is Gary in New Hampshire, Democrats line. | ||
| You're first up on this idea of supporting or opposing the elimination of the Department of Education. | ||
| Go ahead. | ||
|
unidentified
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Good morning, Pedro. | |
| All right, I am against eliminating the Department of Education. | ||
| For one thing, the cities and the states, they get federal funding from the federal government for the programs that the kids in the schools need, particularly the children with disabilities. | ||
| Children with disabilities have what's called an individual education plan. | ||
| And what an individual education plan does is that it's a roadmap of services that the disabled child can receive the next academic year. | ||
| So yeah, I am very opposed to it because the children with disabilities, learning disabilities, or whatever, will be at risk if the Department of Education is eliminated. | ||
| They will not get the services that they need. | ||
| OT, PT, one-on-one, and all that. | ||
| And also, if there's anybody from New Hampshire listening, please, please get on the phone and fight the closing of the Littleton Social Security Office. | ||
| Please, New Hampshire, I implore you. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| That's Gary there in New Hampshire. | ||
| This is Penny in California, Republican line. | ||
|
unidentified
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Hi. | |
| Hello. | ||
| I completely support the elimination of the Department of Education. | ||
| And the reason I support it is since it's been open, education has just deteriorated in the nation. | ||
| And when something continues to deteriorate, then obviously it isn't working. |