To the editor: How on Earth did the U.S. win World War II and land astronauts on the moon without the Department of Education (“Trump guts the Education Department with massive layoffs; shock waves reach California,” March 12)? Those afraid that education will suffer when that federal department is eliminated should stop and think about all that the country accomplished without it. Then they need to compare schools before that bureaucracy was created with schools now to see that they are now much worse off on every measure of learning. Anyone who cares, really cares about education, should cheer the elimination of the department.
F. Stephen Masek, Mission Viejo
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The policies being put forth go beyond the immediate effect on poor and disabled students. They include allowing taxes to pay for private or religious schools that tend to narrow what is being taught. Public schools were meant to be levelers, broad and small “d” democratic.
If parents can “choose” a private school with no financial burden, that will surely mean a return to segregation, already a growing problem because of charter schools. Many fought and died for civil rights in the United States, and school desegregation was a true focus point. So many of the policies being enacted and proposed are rolling back the small gains made for equality. Continuing in this direction will certainly take this country back at least to the last century.
Margo Kasdan, Seal Beach
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How dare President Trump attempt to just erase the Department of Education? We know he doesn’t give a damn about any poor kid making it to college or even high school graduation. Just whatever the rich can do is just fine, right?
Cheryl Clark, Long Beach
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To the editor: Maybe it makes sense to cut staff and funds to the Department of Education. Since its founding in 1979, Americans have gotten dumber and most lack any understanding of government or the U.S. Constitution. Trump’s recent reelection is all the proof one needs. Perhaps with a better-educated electorate, this mistake will not happen again.
Michael Krubiner, Valley Village
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The dumbing down of America has gone too far with President Trump and [White House advisor] Elon Musk making massive cuts to education. Isn’t it bad enough that this president has given carte blanche to the world’s richest billionaire to take away social programs for the needy that have sustained millions of the less fortunate over the years?
Joan Speckin, Ladera Ranch
