The promise to eliminate the Department of Education is nothing new. In fact, I remember when President Trump promised this in 2016. I supported it then, and I supported it now.
In 2016, Trump faced much opposition, and his choice for heading the department didn’t help him. Betsy DeVos’s tenure has proven in time to be ineffective, and worse, didn’t diminish the power of the teachers unions, the biggest obstacles to education success.
Instead of rehashing and placing blame, MAGA has a short time to fix the education problems that will benefit not only Republicans, but some of the most progressive families that could finally wake up and join the movement in the all-important local 2025 elections and then the 2026 Congressional races.
My list is a start:
- Fix the evaluation systems for all staff and students. The current evaluation systems don’t work. Hiring and firings should be based on student success and the ability to command the English language, American history and mathematics used in everyday lifestyles like counting math, using fractions and telling time. It is truly amazing how many teachers in elementary school positions don’t know grammar rules or punctuation.
Written exams should be given every year or two updating skills, adding important information and graded equally, not by a biased observation where a supervisor plays favorites or filling a quota that is discriminatory.
- Figure out which other departments will oversee special services for medical and/or emotional support. Millions of students are affected by a change from federal to state oversight, but our tax dollars will pay for this. There will have to be some transitions to health and housing departments, as well as border patrol.
- Whistleblower protection for all those teachers, parents and staff who have the guts to speak up and take action when they see violations to contracts, safety and curriculum standards.
- This is especially important and personal to me because I am the whistleblower with the longest-running lawsuit and still can not get a court system to enforce discovery demands over a decade later.
Hopefully, a restructuring of the FBI, the Justice Department and new legislation will bring a new era of justice for those who break laws, conceal facts about grading and bullying and contractual obligations to protect students and faculty in buildings and educational environments.
There is TOO much going on that the public needs to know. It’s been going on for decades, and both Republicans and Democrats are responsible for the decline in education in America.
- Transparency and Accountability in the business of education. We aren’t talking just textbooks and chalk. Have you ever wondered about the expenses of food, cleaning supplies, gardening, security, even electricity.
Do you realize how many union members are encouraged to vote for expanding failing public schools to keep their jobs and retirement funds? How much does it cost for each student to have medical attention in a school? Nurses, guidance counselors and social workers are on staff full time and others are contracted through outside private businesses.
We don’t discuss this much, but as states develop their own education plans, it should the responsibility of every journalist to educate the public and for education organizations to host events for the public to learn the business of education.
2025 is the year of local elections. Don’t just focus on school boards. Town supervisors, local mayors, council members and county executives are up for reelection. Go to library board meetings, monthly local government board meetings and support your local newspaper and media outlets.
Write letters to editors and keep up in chat groups. You don't have to be a parent to be concerned or involved. Your local chamber of commerce and business associations benefit from quality schools, and they host fun events with like-minded neighbors.
Get involved! Get educated! You are the best student, teacher, parent and taxpayer. President Trump is right about eliminating the federal department, but his success depends on all of us.
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Cindy Grosz is an award-winning media personality, brand ambassador and Jewish activist. She is the host of “The Jewess Patriot” radio show on WGBB Radio and through Jewish Podcasts out of Jerusalem. She ran for Congress in 2020 and was a Jewish advisor for the National Coalition for Trump.