President Trump’s proposal to dismantle the Department of Education is one step closer to an open, market-based system of education. The ultimate goal is a free-market system of education in which parents, teachers, and students are able to make their own choices about education, rather than being dictated by federal mandates.
One of the most persuasive arguments against the Department of Education is that it holds on to a one-size-fits-all education model that does not work for the needs of individual students and communities. All children, and all communities, are different. Further proof that the Department of Education model isn’t working would be the steady rise in homeschooling numbers over the past ten years and the fact that test scores for schools in the last ten years have predominantly shown a decline.
The fundamental functions of the Department of Education are strangling local communities’ ability to tailor school programs to meet the distinctive needs of their students. Through the abolition of this department, Trump’s administration is embracing a more responsive and flexible local school system that can really cater to the diverse needs of American students.
In addition, the end of government intervention in economic and personal matters is a welcomed blessing. The Department of Education is a quintessential example of government overreach since it prescribes policies and disburses funds that are best reserved for local governments and private schools. By eliminating the Department of Education, Trump is taking a step towards shrinking the federal government and promoting a more decentralized and efficient distribution of resources in the education sector.
Moreover, the federal government shouldn’t get involved in the daily administration of education. By abolishing the Department of Education, Trump is freeing up resources and cutting through bureaucratic red tape, leading to a leaner and more efficient educational system.
This agenda also empowers individuals and communities to self-educate. Centralized control by the Department of Education stifles the imagination and innovation power because it enforces generic curricula and also discourages teachers, parents, from creating education programs that fit the needs of their learners. Through the revocation of this department, Trump is creating a climate in which communities can create and enhance their own form of education appropriate for their own learners.
Phasing out the Department of Education is a step in the right direction towards an increasingly market-oriented system of education. It facilitates decentralization, reduces government overreach, and allows individuals and communities to govern their education. This is consistent with basic libertarian principles that recognize the wisdom of reducing the size and scope of the federal government, and the value of more decentralized and efficient provision of resources within the school system. While this plan will likely require congressional support to be made permanent, there is no doubt that if the education system is ever to be improved, this is the path forward.
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