President-elect Donald Trump unveiled a 10-part plan to refocus schools on preparing children for careers rather than pushing “inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material.”
In a video published by his presidential campaign in September 2023, Trump laid out his plan to revolutionize U.S. education to help students “succeed in the world of work and life” and “grow up to be happy, prosperous, and independent citizens.”
Noting how more than $1 trillion goes into U.S. public education systems every year, Trump said the outcome of such funding has landed America at the “bottom of every list.”
“The United States spends more money on education than any other country in the world. And yet, we get the worst outcomes. We are at the bottom of every list. In total, American society pours more than a trillion dollars a year into public education systems. But instead of being at the top of the list, we are literally right smack — guess what? — at the bottom,” Trump said.
Trump’s first three principles to revolutionize U.S. education is restoring parents’ rights in their children’s education, healthcare, and moral formation; encouraging school boards to hire and reward competent principals and teachers; and eliminating Critical Race Theory, transgender ideology, and left-wing political content from schools
The president-elect also stressed the importance of instilling a “Love of Country” in students, promoting patriotic values, supporting the American Way of Life, and ensuring students have a right to pray in school as part of his plan to improve U.S. education.
Trump also acknowledged the importance of project-based learning, internships and work experience, and job and career counseling inside schools to help students prepare for the workforce.
Regarding safety within schools, Trump said he supports “school districts that allow highly trained teachers to carry concealed weapons at school” and vowed to “support federal funding to hire veterans, retired police officers, and other trained gunowners as armed guards” outside of schools.
Trump also reaffirmed his support for universal school choice, saying he “looks forward to working with other states, as well as the U.S. Congress, to provide for universal school choice for every American family.”
Finally, Trump said his administration will work “very early on” to dismantle the Department of Education in Washington D.C. and “send all education and education work and needs back to the States.”
“We’re going to end education coming out of Washington D.C. We’re going to close it up,” Trump said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Donald Trump” by Donald Trump.
