“Public education is the very foundation of good citizenship.”
This statement, famously declared by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, still resonates today. If it’s true, then what does it mean when that foundation is under attack? When students can’t learn their own histories or question systems of power, they’re being denied the tools of democracy itself.
The Trump administration’s war on education isn’t just about policy preferences—it’s an erosion of the civic and intellectual groundwork that democracy requires to survive. Schools are meant to prepare young people to become informed and active citizens, but when truth is censored, protections are dismantled, and funding is weaponized, we’re not educating future participants in democracy. Rather, we’re raising a generation less equipped to recognize, question, or resist authoritarianism.
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has launched an aggressive campaign against public education, threatening to withhold federal funding from schools that don’t eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. This isn’t just a culture war—it’s a direct attack on democratic values. By removing civil rights protections, censoring what students can learn, and dismantling the Department of Education, the administration is systematically undermining the very infrastructure that sustains democracy.
Public education isn’t only about test scores and school lunches. It is where kids learn what it means to be part of a society, to engage with diversity, and to think critically about the world. When the federal government uses its power to suppress these lessons, the ripple effects are felt far beyond the classroom—they reshape the future of democratic participation itself.
On April 3, 2025, the Trump administration issued a memo threatening to withhold federal funding from public schools unless state education departments eliminate all DEI programming. Title I funding—specifically designated for schools with high percentages of low-income students—was explicitly mentioned as being at risk. This funding is critical for millions of children across the country. In some districts, it covers everything from after-school tutoring to school meals.
The administration argues that these DEI programs are discriminatory or “ideologically driven,” claiming that removing them is “protecting civil rights and merit-based opportunity.” This framing ignores the reality, which is that DEI initiatives are often the only institutional tools addressing racial and economic inequality in schools. By targeting them, the administration is cutting off support for the very students who need it most—students of color, students with disabilities, as well as low-income and LGBTQ students.
The Trump administration is doing more than threatening funds. It is actively working to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) itself. In early 2025, Trump signed an executive order initiating that process. The justification may have been to “return power to the states,” but the real goal is to destroy federal civil rights enforcement.
The ED has historically played a crucial role in protecting students from discrimination, collecting data on inequality, and enforcing laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees free and appropriate education for students with disabilities. Under Trump’s direction, the administration has already fired staff in seven of the twelve regional offices of the Office for Civil Rights. Without this infrastructure, marginalized students lose access to federal protections as well as the ability to seek justice when those protections are violated.
Without a functioning Department of Education, there is no way to track or address disparities in education access. There is no oversight of schools disproportionately suspending students of color, denying accommodations to students with disabilities, or limiting access to advanced courses based on race or language ability. If data collection on injustice ceases to exist, injustice cannot be proven, and consequently cannot be fixed.
Even basic privacy protections are under threat. The ED has historically enforced national laws, like the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), that keep students’ grades, medical histories, and family income private. Without it, sensitive information is left vulnerable—and so are the students it protects.
This campaign against public education isn’t just about policy—it’s about shaping how young people think. State-level educational gag orders that restrict teaching about race, gender, and American history are increasing. These laws, now backed by the federal government, are pushing teachers to avoid honest conversations about slavery, segregation, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights. In Florida, for example, the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” punishes educators for teaching anything that might make students feel “discomfort” about the country’s history. That very discomfort is often the starting point for empathy, curiosity, and civic engagement.
By censoring curriculum and intimidating teachers, the administration is fostering a sanitized version of history—one that encourages conformity, not critical thinking. And a generation that can’t think critically is less likely to question authority, organize for change, or even vote.
There’s no single fix, but there are places to start. Supporting organizations like the ACLU, PEN America, and Education Trust that are fighting to protect public education is one. Another is paying attention to local school board races, where decisions about curriculum and policy often begin. Advocating for the restoration of federal oversight, especially for civil rights enforcement, is crucial.
The fight for public education is, at its core, a fight for democracy.
Trump’s War on Education Is Undermining Democracy
By: Isabel Strauss
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This effectively illustrates how attacks on public education are not just policy shifts but deliberate efforts to weaken the civic foundations of democracy. By censoring history, dismantling protections, and gutting oversight, the Trump administration is making it harder for future generations to think critically, engage politically, and resist authoritarianism. Protecting public education is essential to preserving democratic society itself.