Standing in the same room where she had an interview for being named state and National Teacher of the Year in 2016, U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 5th Congressional District vowed to fight against President Donald Trump鈥檚 actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education Monday morning.
鈥淎 parent's one responsibility is their child,鈥� Hayes said. 鈥淔or educators and leaders, our responsibility is everybody's children.鈥�
President Donald Trump has been taking steps toward eliminating the department. Earlier this month, the department .
Trump then calling on the U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to 鈥渢ake all the necessary steps鈥� to shut down the Department of Education.
A day later, Trump that the management of federal student loans and programs for students with special education needs will be handed over to other federal agencies. Student federal loans, for example, will be going to the Small Business Administration (SBA). However, the SBA announced that there are plans to .
Alongside U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Gov. Ned Lamont, state officials and community members, Hayes announced that Democrats have introduced a resolution of inquiry in the U.S. House of Representatives, giving Trump two weeks to provide proof of why these decisions are being made and what the plans are going forward.
Seeking answers about motivations to gut federal Education Department
Hayes is calling on the public to reach out to their representatives to get answers.
鈥淲hat does this mean?鈥� she asked. 鈥淲hat services will be cut? What does returning education back to the states mean? What was taken away? I have yet to hear that answer.鈥�
Hayes explained that the U.S. Department of Education provides funding and guidelines that provide services for children with special education needs, protections against discrimination and programs that provide funding to support students from low-income households.
The thought of children not having that funding and guidance had Hayes saying that she felt beyond angry.
鈥淚 am not going to sit by and let us go back to a time where special education students were placed in the basement and not allowed to be educated alongside their non-disabled peers. I am not going to go back to a time where students came to school and didn't get a hot meal or a book or computer or broadband or all the things they needed to learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nger is not even the word.鈥�
A hit to early childhood programs for children under three
Maribel Rodriguez of Waterbury is a grandmother of six children ranging from pre-kindergarten to high school. She is calling on lawmakers in Washington D.C. to put a stop to the closure of the U.S. Department of Education. She worries it could impact programs that help her family.
The other implications of the impact that the department鈥檚 closure could have on students had Rodriguez recalling her own experience struggling with hunger in school.
鈥淚 was one of those children that went to school without eating,鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淚 know what it is to be hungry in school and not be able to learn because you're hungry, so I appreciate all these programs that these elected officials have done to help us to make sure that we all thrive.鈥�
She worries also about funding for 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 program, which provides support and resources for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
鈥淚 have one of my grandchildren that uses Birth to Three,鈥� Rodriguez said.
Cuts to the U.S. Department of Education would affect the program, said Beth Bye, commissioner of the state's Office of Early Childhood.
鈥淥ver the last six months, 7,000 children have gotten special education services from Birth to Three delivered in their homes or at their child care programs. Wherever that child and family need help, Birth to Three is there. We have about $6 million that we get a year from the Department of Education just for Birth to Three,鈥� Bye said. 鈥淭his is madness.鈥�
A promise to block Trump鈥檚 moves to wipe out the Education Department
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said only Congress has the power to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.
鈥淚 will promise you,鈥� Blumenthal said, 鈥淲e will deny them the votes to destroy our Department of Education. The United States Senate needs 60 votes. Republicans have only 53. I promise you. Democrats will stand against this effort to destroy American public education.鈥�
Patricia Reville of Farmington, an activist with which organizes rallies to promote freedom and justice, said she is concerned about the families of children with disabilities who are in need of the critical services.
However, she said she鈥檚 unsure if the votes in Congress will be effective.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e asking me if I think that [Trump] is going to follow the law? I鈥檓 not that confident,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we have to hit the streets.鈥�
McMahon has said that the closure of her department will not mean cutting off funds from students in need. Rather, she said that it is a step toward giving parents and states control over their children鈥檚 education.
鈥淭eachers will be unshackled from burdensome regulations and paperwork, empowering them to get back to teaching basic subjects,鈥� McMahon said in a after Trump signed the executive order. 鈥淭axpayers will no longer be burdened with tens of billions of dollars of waste on progressive social experiments and obsolete programs. K-12 and college students will be relieved of the drudgery caused by administrative burdens 鈥� and positioned to achieve success in a future career they love.鈥�
Blumenthal is calling on the public to reach out to senators in red and blue states with their thoughts on what should be done with the U.S. Department of Education.
鈥淲e need you to be active, be strong, be loud and clear,鈥� Blumenthal said, 鈥渁nd that's going to make a difference in what happens.鈥�
