Senator Vincent Hughes’ Statement on the Department of Education Executive Order: “A slap in the face to students, teachers, and parents”

Senator Vincent Hughes' Statement on the Department of Education Executive Order: "A slap in the face to students, teachers, and parents"

March 20, 2025

March 20, 2025- Today, State Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, issued the following statement in response to the executive order President Trump has signed, directing Secretary McMahon to abolish the Department of Education:

"Any move to abolish the Department of Education is a slap in the face to students, teachers, and parents.

Yet again, President Trump, Musk, and Congressional Republicans are trying to convince the public that cutting funding, services, and jobs will bring us to an alleged golden age of America. The reality of their reckless and sloppy approach is that making cuts to education will do nothing but cause learning loss, overextended and burnt-out teachers, bigger class sizes, less resources for special education students, more toxic and broken school buildings, less technology in our classrooms, and nowhere for students and parents to turn when they are being discriminated against.

Pennsylvania has a court order to adequately and constitutionally fund 70% of PA schools. Any federal cut to education funding and support will undermine our attempts to fix that problem. We need Pennsylvania's Congressional lawmakers to stand up and fight for the education of our students."

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