Education in the United States: A Right for the Wealthy, a Privilege for the Poor
In a country that supposedly prides itself on the idea of equal opportunity, the very foundation of that principle, education, is currently under threat from the second Trump administration . The proposal to dismantle the Department of Education (DoE) presents a grave risk of deepening the divide between the wealthy and the underprivileged while pushing the U.S. further away from its defining ideals of justice and equality. The DoE plays a crucial role in ensuring access to education for all, but if eliminated, the consequences could be disastrous, particularly for children with disabilities and those in lower-income families who rely on public education for a chance at a better future.
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution promises that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This is a fundamental pillar of justice in the United States. However, the proposal to return control of education to the states would severely undermine this promise. There are already disparities in education between states –with wealthier districts enjoying plentiful resources while underfunded districts, often in rural or urban areas, are left struggling. If power is handed back to the states, those gaps will only widen, with wealthy states continuing to thrive and poorer ones falling further behind. The wealthiest families could continue to afford private schooling, protecting their children from the failures of public education. Meanwhile, disadvantaged families will be left at the mercy of underfunded schools with few resources, exacerbating the divide that already exists.
This isn’t merely about education—this is also an issue about justice. The rich are able to exercise their privilege by sending their children to private schools, using tax credits, vouchers, and other financial incentives designed to keep education in the hands of those who can afford it. Low-income families, on the other hand, are reliant on public education, where funding and resources are already insufficient. The average cost of private school (grades K-12) in 2021 was $12,350, while the median household income in that year was only $70,784. This means that the average household would have to spend around 17% of their income in order to obtain the same level of education as wealthier Americans. Private education is simply not attainable to the average American citizen.
With the DoE gone, the federal government would have little to no oversight over how education is distributed across the country. Public schools would be forced to navigate an uneven playing field, with some states offering robust programs and others leaving children without essential services. For families without the means to pay for private education, the elimination of the DoE will deny their children the opportunities afforded to their wealthier peers.
The Department of Education is a lifeline for millions of children, especially those from low-income families. It distributes approximately $79 billion annually to public schools and supports essential programs that help students get the education they deserve. Title 1 funding, for example, helps schools in low-income areas provide additional resources and support for students who need it most. Without the DoE, this funding could dry up or struggle to be transferred to the states, leaving public schools alone without support. More than 90% of students in the U.S. attend public schools, and 95% of students with disabilities rely on public schools to meet their educational needs. These students depend on federal programs to receive a fair education, regardless of their background, and those protections will be lost if the DoE is taken away.
The consequences for teachers would be equally dire. Teachers working in low-income areas are already underpaid and overburdened, and the elimination of federal funding could only exacerbate these issues. Many teachers in these areas are already struggling to provide adequate support to their students, often working with outdated materials and fewer resources than their wealthier counterparts. If funding is cut and the DoE’s regulatory power is limited, there will be even less incentive for qualified individuals to work in these underserved areas. The talent pool for teaching would shrink, and teachers who remain will face an even more difficult job.
It is also important to consider the impact on students with disabilities. While certain laws, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), should still be in place, enforcement of these laws will fall entirely on the states. Many states already struggle to comply with federal mandates, and without the DoE, there would be no one to ensure that all students receive the services and support they are entitled to. The federal government has long played an essential role in protecting the civil rights of students with disabilities, ensuring that they have access to educational opportunities. Without the DoE, these confirmed protections are likely to disappear. Special education programs could become fragmented and inconsistent, with some states providing robust services while others fail to meet even the most basic needs of their students. For children with disabilities, this could mean a return to a system where they are excluded, neglected, or ignored.
Since these programs are so critical for many Americans, citizens are left wondering why there is such a strong anti-DoE agenda. One of these driving factors for the DoE’s elimination has been the push for the privatization of education. Many wealthy individuals and organizations have vested interests in privatizing education, including billionaires who can profit from private schools, voucher programs, and tax credits. These individuals have pushed for policies that direct taxpayer money away from public schools and into private ones. Over the years, state funding for public schools has stagnated, while subsidies for private schools have substantially increased. Between 2010 and 2020, state spending on tax breaks and subsidies for private schools increased by more than 400%. For families who can’t afford the high tuition costs, the only option left is a struggling public system, which will only worsen without federal support.
Project 2025—a manuscript that, while not the official policy checklist for the Trump administration, is often described as a wish list for current right-wing politicians—proposes the idea of moving the main special education programs (the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) under the Department of Health and Human Services. This would only result in chaos and further disorganization. Education is not an issue that can be shoved into the corner of any department that will take it. Rather, it is the cornerstone of our future as a nation. Trying to integrate education programs into departments that are ill-equipped to handle them will most certainly result in confusion, inefficiency, and a lack of oversight.
The solution is not to dismantle the Department of Education but to reform and strengthen it. The U.S. education system is underfunded and needs significant investment to ensure that every student has access to a quality education. Instead of cutting funding and eliminating protections, we should be focused on reforming the system to ensure that public schools are better supported and funds are properly managed. We must ensure that all children continue to receive the services they need, that teachers are paid fairly, and that schools are adequately funded.
The right to education is the right to opportunity, and it is a right that must be protected. If we allow this vital institution to be destroyed, we will be condemning future generations to a society where education is a privilege reserved only for the wealthy few. This is not the America we want to build. Instead, we should be working to create an education system that provides equal opportunities for all, regardless of their background or abilities. Only then can we truly live up to the ideals of justice and equality that we claim to uphold.