It’s nice to see Donald Trump express support for teachers. Too bad he doesn’t mean it.
Trump says he’ll “make education a far more important component of our life,” but if elected he’s pledged to ensure the Department of Education is “largely eliminated.”
And it gets worse: Trump’s also promised that Ben Carson would be “very much involved in education” in a Trump administration. Carson, of course, famously said that he wouldn’t eliminate the Department of Education but instead re-purpose it “to monitor our institutions of higher education for extreme political bias.”
Neat!
Background:
Trump: Bad For K-12 Education
✓ Trump blamed a “very high union wall” for creating a “competition-free zone” in public schools.
✓ Trump said the Department of Education could be “largely eliminated” and that, “You could cut that way, way, way down.”
✓ Trump supported charter schools and vouchers as the “American way.”
✓ Trump promised that Ben Carson would be very involved in education policy in his administration.
Attacked Teacher’s Unions
Trump Blamed A “Very High Union Wall” For Creating A “Competition-Free Zone” In Public Schools. According to Thomas Fordham Institute, “3. Teachers’ unions and politics: [Donald Trump said] ‘Our public schools have grown up in a competition-free zone, surrounded by a very high union wall. Why aren’t we shocked at the results? After all, teachers’ unions are motivated by the same desires that move the rest of us. With more than 85% of their soft-money donations going to Democrats, teachers’ unions know they can count on the politician they back to take a strong stand against school choice.’ January 2000..” [Thomas Fordham Institute, 5/4/16]
Suggested He Would Cut The Department Of Education
[Video] Trump: “The Department Of Education Is Massive And It Can Be Largely Eliminated.” Town Hall. Hannity: “Would you eliminate any departments?” Trump: “Oh absolutely. First of all — First of all, first of all, we want to bring education back to Wisconsin, right? Right? So we end Common Core, and Department of Education can — I mean, the Department of Education is massive and it can be largely eliminated. Now you maybe want to have a little bit of, you know, tentacles out there, make sure everything — but largely we can eliminate the Department of Education. Department of environmental, I mean, the DEP is killing us environmentally. It’s just killing our businesses. That can be state.” [Fox News’ Hannity: 160404_MLA_134, 4/4/16]
Trump On Department Of Education, 2015: “You Could Cut That Way, Way, Way Down.”According to Politico, “Donald Trump might want to eliminate the Education Department. Chris Wallace challenged the leading GOP candidate on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ on whether he would ‘blow a hole in the deficit.’ Trump first said he would cut waste and abuse. When Wallace asked if he would cut departments, Trump said he’d consider the Education Department. […] Regarding the department, Trump told the South Carolina Tea Party Convention in January that, ‘You could cut that way, way, way down.’” [Politico, 10/19/15]
Said Ben Carson “Would Be very Involved In Education”
Trump Said Ben Carson Would “Be ‘Very Involved In Education’ In Trump’s Presidential Administration.” According to Education Week, “Is there a doctor in the house? In a GOP debate in March, Trump said that Ben Carson would be ‘very involved in education’ in Trump’s presidential administration, as my colleague Daarel Burnette II reported. Carson is a former 2016 GOP presidential hopeful and retired pediatric neurosurgeon,” [Education Week, 5/4/16]
Trump: “I Am Going To Have Ben Very Much Involved In Education, Something Which Really Is An Expertise Of His.” According to The Week, “At Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate, Donald Trump confirmed that former rival Dr. Ben Carson would be endorsing him on Friday. ‘I was with Dr. Ben Carson today, who by the way is endorsing me tomorrow morning,’ Trump said in his response to a question asked by moderator Jake Tapper about education. ‘We spoke for over an hour on education, and he has such a great handle on it,’ Trump continued. ‘He wants competitive schools. He wants a lot of different things that are terrific, including charter schools… I am going to have Ben very much involved in education, something which really is an expertise of his.’” [Week, 3/10/16]
Published: May 6, 2016