Rep. Doggett's Statement on Trump's Dismantling of the Education Department

Washington, D.C. -- After President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) issued the following statement:

 

"Today, Trump signed an Executive Order directing Secretary McMahon to take all necessary steps to dismantle the Department of Education, an agency that serves over 5.6 million students across 9,000 Texas K-12 schools. This reckless, unlawful action doesn’t just skirt Congressional authority—it endangers the support for the most vulnerable students and schools in Texas: the 700,000 students with disabilities, the $140 million allocated for bilingual learners, and the $1.8 billion in funding for Title I schools that serve over 3.6 million students, including many in Austin.

 

"As a product of Austin public schools myself and as a father and grandfather of successful AISD students, I know the value dedicated educators bring to our community. Our public schools are vital for both individual opportunity and our continued economic promise. It’s so appropriate that Governor Abbott has joined President Trump for this announcement, since both are undermining public education. Their attacks on federal support for education are furthered by their promotion of state and federal voucher schemes. This isn’t just about policy—it’s about priorities. Abbott’s and Trump’s actions cater to the demands of billionaire donors to redirect these funds to finance private academies and trillions in tax breaks. 

 

"President Trump may claim to put America first, but this latest move makes it painfully clear: he is putting us last. In Texas alone, the Department provides over $580 million to support our workforce. Yet Trump, out of touch with the lived experience of working families, seeks to cripple investment in both our students and our future workforce. His agenda, supported by Elon Musk and Governor Abbott, is simple: starve our public schools—the foundation of our democracy—of resources that create well-informed citizens.

 

"Why? So it’s easier to sell their backward beliefs, peddle their “alternative facts,” and secure a future where ignorance is a weapon.

 

"Because the Department of Education was established by statute enacted by Congress, Trump has no authority to shut it down by Executive Order. This is another attempt to overwhelm and wear down the American people. The hundreds of messages I have received on this issue demonstrate that Austin, the only place I have ever called home, will never surrender. We stand together, fighting for every student’s right to succeed and against this illegal power grab."