(WASHINGTON)— President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that seeks to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. In response, Hadar Harris, PEN America’s Washington, D.C. managing director, issued the following statement:
“Dismantling the Department of Education is a further step in dismantling democracy and eviscerating the freedom to learn. The Department of Education plays a unique and vital role in ensuring full access to education for all students, including those with disabilities, those in impoverished communities, and those who cannot afford the high cost of higher education. The Department of Education also provides vital research and documentation about what works and what doesn’t work and how we can improve educational outcomes for students of all ages.
“We are concerned that while the department will retain vital core functions that are statutorily required (like student loans, Title I funding and services for students with disabilities), those functions will be hollowed out and fundamentally gutted if the Trump Administration acts as it has with other agencies it has sought to destroy: impounding their congressional appropriated funds and firing most of their staff. Last week, they already took the first steps in that process by firing half of the Department’s staff.
“This is not about returning education to the state because 90% of funding for schools comes from the state and local level. This is about limiting access to education and dismantling our nation’s core commitment to education and the freedom to learn as the bedrock of our democracy.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, STrimel@PEN.org, 201-247-5057