There has been a surplus of changes regarding schools and education, such as certain states limiting the variety of books that teachers are allowed to have and read to students. Amongst these changes, one of the most influential changes was the government shuttering the Department of Education, which will heavily affect schools. According to the official Department of Education website, there has been over $600M in cuts into school funding, and 50% of the (DOE) workforce has been laid off.
“It’s disheartening to see public education—and the dedicated professionals who sustain it—receiving less support at the policy level. Public schools are the backbone of our communities, and continued investment is essential to help them realize their full potential and meet the needs of every student,” New Castle High School Teacher, Kelly Gant, states.
Certain groups of students are a main concern, such as those with disabilities or poor families, cannot obtain access to certain programs that would support their needs. Such alterations in funding could negatively impact, and possibly get rid of free meals in schools. Over time, these payments can stack up, leading to parents being incapable of keeping up with other financial responsibilities. All of this makes it harder to get education, and this can also affect the future of students with their capabilities to gain jobs.
Teachers are also being impacted, as the funding for training in regular, and special education classes is being cut. This can lead to inexperienced teachers in classes, which can cause them to quit due to the stress. With less and less teachers, classes become bigger, which can add additional pressure on top of other issues. Even before this happens, teachers can suffer stress from worrying about what resources they’ll lose, and about their jobs.
Finally, parents also worry, as they would be the ones paying for school, and the ones caring for the children. This will lower tax cost, as there will be less for them to pay for, but the cuts will reduce learning opportunity. Parents could rest easy knowing that their children were getting a good education. Parents with children that have disabilities especially should be worried, as there is a chance that the programs might be shut down.
“ I believe removing funding for any of the programs that help support students is hurting not only those students individually, but the future of our nation as a whole,” stated NCHS Teacher Jonathan Gray.
Overall, the government’s decision to cut more and more away from the Department of Education can be detrimental to the livelihood of everyone involved. Teachers, students, and potentially parents are all affected by the changes. Depending on future changes, education could be headed to a worse outcome.
