In early February, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Education Secretary. Two Republicans, Senators Murkowski (AK) and Collins (ME), joined the entire Democratic caucus to force an historic tie-breaking vote from Vice President Pence. Read more at this link. Her installation to a position of power over our education system means she spends every day implementing policies with destructive consequences for our country.
In Smart Dissent's Budget Cuts Series, we are examining the White House proposed budget cuts to learn what's hidden beneath the surface and later update based on Congressional budget proposals and actions. This post focuses on proposed significant cuts to our schools and Department of Education that we must Be Smart about and Actively Dissent.
Trump's budget proposal for fiscal year 2018...calls for a $9.2 billion, or 13.5 percent, spending cut to education.
Student Debt
In early February, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Education Secretary. Two Republicans, Senators Murkowski (AK) and Collins (ME), joined the entire Democratic caucus to force an historic tie-breaking vote from Vice President Pence. Read more at this link. Her installation to a position of power over our education system means she spends every day implementing policies with destructive consequences for our country.
The White House is taking aggressive steps towards reducing the role of the federal government in fighting discrimination and protecting minorities. It is doing so by cutting budgets, dissolving programs and appointing officials unsympathetic to previous practices. Several examples are noted below and more thoroughly discussed in the Washington Post's article.
At their Spring meeting in late April, the Presidents and Chancellors of the Association of American Universities member universities issues the statement below in response to federal government proposals of drastic cuts to research funding and educational support. They cite that long-standing bipartisan support of the American university system to the great benefit our of society is now at risk due to the ignorance of those in power.
To start the month of May off as poorly as every month of this administration, Trump issued a memo immediately eliminating the "Let Girls Learn" program operated by the Peace Corps. This is a continued public and intentional campaign to eliminate as many beneficial programs started under President Obama. There's no justification besides ideological hatred and an incredible lack of intelligence to explain how a group of individuals would use to their power to harm children and our society as a whole.
As the Republicans and the Trump administration continues their assault on anything that the Obama administration did, Secretary Sonny Perdue has set his sights on school lunches.
The Trump administration has loosened nutritional standards aimed at making US school lunches healthier that were championed by former first lady Michelle Obama.
New Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue postponed reductions in sodium, relaxed requirements for whole grains and allowed sweetened flavoured milk back.
One in five US children is obese, the US government says.
BE SMART ABOUT is our unfortunate series highlighting examples of those in power who you need to stay informed about so you can share this knowledge and together we can Be Smart and Actively Dissent.
Today we discuss a recent action of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who will be a repeat participant in the BE SMART ABOUT series.
The Budget Cuts Series unfortunately continues forward endlessly in examination of the proposed White House budget cuts to learn what's hidden beneath the surface or in plain view. We will later update based on Congressional budget proposals and actions.
