Welcome back to another round of Law and Culture, where Malindi Press explores the law, politics, and everything in between. As a community, these things do affect us, and taking time to explain some of the consequences is important. Also, taking time to break down and explain issues is important since often, these issues are discussed in a manner that seems inaccessible. With that being said, let's dive into the Department of Education.
All signs point to at least the attempt for the Department of Education to be dismantled. The implications of this, specifically for Black students nationwide are numerous. The Department of Education is one of those agencies in the government that you hear about, but probably don't think about when it comes to how it may affect your day-to-day life. Of course, if you aren't a student, you may be resolved to the mentality that this doesn't matter. But as Dr. King famously said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." So, let's go through how the Department of Education's removal may impact Black students.
At the top of the list is Title IX. Title IX says: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. This means schools can't discriminate based on gender or sexuality. The Department of Education enforces this. They make sure facilities are equal for boys and girls. They make sure that student access for genders and different sexualities is fair and equitable. Of course, these things matter since the overall academic experience can be ruined if the environment is discriminatory for certain groups.
The Department of Education also is instrumental in taking care of another group as well. It's well established that disabled students need a heightened level of care. For them to be properly serviced, they need the proper teachers, resources, classroom settings, and everything in between. Removal of the Department of Education would mean that disabled students across the country who are reliant on federal funds would be adversely affected. As of 2023, 15% (7.3 million) of the students enrolled in public schools were classified as disabled. As of 2016 Black students represented about 16% of students receiving funds through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The Department of Education also enforces laws that prohibit discrimination based on race. This goes without saying how important this is. With the history of educational discrimination in America, having a body that deals directly with this as it pertains to the classroom is especially important. There are other agencies that can and should enforce racial discrimination issues if they come up, so even if this one is removed, other mechanisms are in place. A fear is that if the new administration is in denial about certain types of discrimination, they will have a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to enforcement.
Another important task of the Department of Education is the distribution of Pell Grants which are grants given to low-income students. The average Pell Grant is a little over $4,000. For any students who are enrolling or enrolled in college, that can be a game changer. 57% of Black students receive Pell Grants. Removal of this department would affect Black students who need these funds. The average cost of books for the year is around $1,200. This cost increases every year and Pell Grants can be the difference between some students having enough to get books and not having enough. Since it doesn't seem like the cost of books will be decreasing any time soon, the money available for students to be able to afford them should be available and ready.
Black students having access to quality teachers, students, and funds is dependent on both federal and state agencies that work together to ensure the next generation is properly taken care of. Any break in this chain can be detrimental to the development of the students. That being said, no system is perfect. Looking and seeing inefficiencies is fine, but blanket removal may not be. This is something to keep in mind as the new administration is preparing to take over in 2025.
This doesn't mean that dismantling the Department of Education will lead to mayhem, but it does mean that some of the added guardrails that prevent certain kinds of disorder will be removed.