Protecting Public Education During the Trump Administration: A Critical Conversation on How to Meet the Moment
On June 30, Education Law Center hosted our 16th annual Education Justice Lecture and fundraiser: Protecting Public Education During the Trump Administration. This virtual event featured former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel A. Cardona in conversation with ELC trustees Laura Jiménez and Shital C. Shah, who formerly served at the U.S. Department of Education. The event was moderated by ELC Executive Director Robert Kim.
At a time when public education and civil rights face unprecedented threats, this conversation and ELC’s advocacy on behalf of public schools and students are more crucial than ever. Please make a tax-deductible contribution to support our work.
Dr. Cardona opened the webinar by highlighting the urgent challenges public schools face under the current Trump administration, including privatization, the erosion of civil rights protections, and the dismantling and weaponization of the U.S. Department of Education (“the Department”), and in particular the Department’s Office for Civil Rights. He warned that eliminating the Department would disproportionately harm rural, low-income, and special education students who rely heavily on federal support. He also underscored the essential role of educators, legal advocates, and civil rights leaders in preserving democracy, civil rights, and equitable access to public education.
Ms. Jiménez outlined the core functions of the Department, including ensuring compliance with federal laws, offering technical assistance, monitoring spending, conducting research, and protecting students’ civil rights. She warned that dismantling the Department would harm students nationwide, especially those with the greatest needs.
Ms. Shah emphasized the Department’s role in building comprehensive centers, which foster collaboration and professional learning among states and districts around key topics like early literacy and multilingualism. She raised concerns about the erosion of public schools, which are central to our democracy and to local communities, especially as privatization efforts expand at the federal level and across the country. She stressed the urgent need to support and diversify the teaching workforce amid ongoing shortages.
Dr. Cardona also addressed the dangers of school vouchers, citing their lack of accountability, transparency and safeguards for student civil rights, and noting also that they divert essential funding from public schools.
All three panelists reflected on their proudest accomplishments and greatest challenges while serving at the Department, including opening the Department to youth voices, distributing federal COVID-relief funds and reopening schools post-pandemic, and promoting bilingualism as a national strength.
The panel closed with a call to action. Panelists encouraged educators, families, and advocates to share personal stories on the impacts of funding cuts and policy changes, use data to influence public opinion, communicate with their Congressional representatives, and build broad, bipartisan coalitions to protect public education.
ELC thanks NJEA, our longtime lecture sponsor, and the many organizations, law firms, businesses and individuals whose support makes our work possible. An electronic copy of the event journal is available here.
To make a tax-deductible contribution to ELC, please click here.
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