Donald Trump’s Opinion on Education

With the upcoming election right on our heels, it’s important to have an educated and informed opinion or vote of the candidates based on their policies and issues. One issue that directly affects us students is education. Well, maybe not at the forefront of the campaign trail, it’s an important issue both candidates have divisive opinions over. This article is focused on is the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. With his many stances and thoughts on reforms and changes to our education, it’s important to know what he plans and envisions for our country’s education if elected, and why he believes his line of thinking.

The first issue is school choice (when a parent spends public spending that would’ve gone to public education on different forms of education for their child like charter or private schools), which Trump staunchly supports. Trump has gone on record to call school choice the, “civil rights statement of our time.” Trump’s logic for his support stems from the fact he believes that parents having alternative options for public schools to send their kids to will only benefit their children. He asserts that a child would perform better academically if their intellectual needs and values were met by parents who could send them to any kind of school, not dictated by economic status or other issues.

Trump wants to purge public education of what he believes to be leftist political indoctrination.
He states he would de-fund schools that support Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, or any other, and in his view, inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on kids. The former president also declared he would cut DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and would get rid of the Marxist ideology he believes is being taught in schools. He would also get rid of the radical leftists that he thinks infiltrated the education department. Trump asserted that he would make education more patriotic, by putting forward a credential body that would certify teachers who embrace the American ideals and way of life. He would also achieve this by reinstating the 1776 commission, which would ensure young Americans learn about our history and principles. The Republican candidate also said he would protect religious freedom in school and would ban boys from playing in girls sports.

There are several other issues Trump has concerned himself with, one of them being shutting down the Department of Education and transferring the power back to the states, seeing it as an entity of government overreach. He also is a big advocate for parent choice, pushing for schools to have to be completely transparent to parents and inform them of everything that’s happening if requested. He would implement a Parental Bill of Rights to ensure this happens. Trump has also said he would adopt merit pay, which would reward good teachers. In school, the past president said he would make a push for project based education, believing it to be more beneficial for students.

To hear more about candidate Kamala Harris’ views on education, check another of the recent articles on Lions Roar Now.