The Department of Education: Why White Supremacists Still Want It Gone

The Department of Education: Why White Supremacists Still Want It Gone

I often wondered why the Republicans, the alt-right, or the various iterations of white supremacism in its various linguistic ideological forms of identification are so adamant about dismantling, defunding, destroying, completely gutting, or otherwise undermining the Department of Education. As I understand it, my research would never be able to illustrate any rationale for its creation as a move toward Black American reparation for the damage caused by unequal and inequitable education in this country. There would never be anything written or spoken that stated the Department of Education was created specifically to assure equitable and equal education for Black Americans under the law. Language being as important as it is, there could never be anything under the American law with the words Affirmative Action for, Civil Rights Act for, or Fair Housing Act for, “Black America, or Black Americans.” Not even the euphemistically favorable African American or People of Color would ever be that specific in wording on behalf of Black Americans in the United States, yet some laws are precise for other so-called protected groups, such as Asians and the LGBT+ community. Any law fashioned to help Black America is always hidden behind the shroud of neutrality, where “being neutral in American culture was intended to represent Whiteness as no longer a threat to Blackness, at least not anymore.”

Through my research, however, I discovered that the Department of Education wasn’t founded explicitly for Black Americans, although its emergence during the post-civil rights and emergent Post-Racial Color Blind eras centralized the enforcement of civil rights in education, making it a key mechanism for dismantling systemic segregation and inequity. This role, not its bureaucracy, is what has always made it a target of white supremacist backlash. As early as 1867, the precursor to the U.S. Department of Education, called the Federal Education Agency, was first introduced as a bill by James Garfield when he was a congressman from Ohio. White supremacist congressmen of that time opposed the bill because they perceived such a law meant educating newly freed Black people. In an article written by Jordan Friedman for History.com, the idea of an educated Black populace “didn’t sit well with many in the South, as well as some in the North.”  He elaborated further, quoting the Journal of Negro Education, that Fernando Wood, a staunch white supremacist democrat from New York, contended that Congress “was already doing too much to help formerly enslaved people in the South.”  Eventually relegated to an office in the Department of the Interior, it wasn’t truly revamped into the Department of Education we see today for 111 years.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson would expand the Bureau of Education Elementary and Secondary Education Act and in 1979 President Carter signed the bill reinstating the U.S. Department of Education. By 1980, Ronald Reagan began willingly disparaging the department, and explicitly sharing plans to eliminate it. In 1981, during his Address to the Nation on the Program for Economic Recovery he began using rhetoric which is today a familiar series of tropes regarding the Department of Education as a budget reducer, and preference for local and state desires in determining education:

“By eliminating the Department of Education less than 2 years after it was created, we cannot only reduce the budget but ensure that local needs and preferences, rather than the wishes of Washington, determine the education of our children." [The full transcript of this speech is available on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library website.] 

Why White Supremacists Still Want It Gone

·         The White Supremacists  view the Department of Education as the vehicle for racial equity, especially in terms of:

·         Affirmative action, DEI, and anti-discrimination compliance.

·         Culturally inclusive curricula, meaning anything even remotely considered Black, which is why their targets are primarily Black literature and history.

·         Federal oversight that curtails “states’ rights” to control their education, which historically meant maintaining segregation, and explains why one of the rhetorical rationales is giving the responsibility for education back to the states.

·         Some even call it the “Civil Rights Enforcement Arm” disguised as an education agency.

Conclusion

The Department of Education, like all other attempts at preventative and reparative relief for Black people are purposefully being defunded, dismantled and disintegrated, pun intended, while still being touted as neutral, and inclusive of all “protected groups,” although every single attempt of elimination is directly aimed at Black people, in history, in literature, in equality, equity, opportunity and in justice. Although I recognize I will never find something explicitly detailing the rights of Black people using “Black people” in any law, bill or policy proffered by the United States government, it is as excruciatingly and crucially clear who is the target and has been the target for generations. Furthermore, I can damn well bet, as the vanguard of true democracy in America, it is incumbent upon all Americans to pay attention to efforts to eliminate these neutral protections that will eventually affect everyone.

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Timeline: The U.S. Department of Education & Civil Rights Enforcement

· 1867: First Federal Education Agency Established — The original Department of Education was created to collect information on schools and teaching, aiding states in establishing effective school systems. Fierce opposition by white supremacists who considered it helping emancipated Black people.

· 1868: Agency absorbed by the Department of the Interior as the Office of Education

· 1965: Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) — Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of his “War on Poverty,” ESEA aimed to close the achievement gap by providing federal funding to schools serving low-income students. Title I of ESEA specifically targeted educational support for disadvantaged children.

· 1974: Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) — This act prohibited discrimination in public schools and required school districts to take action to overcome barriers to students’ equal participation, reinforcing federal commitment to educational equity.

· 1979: Creation of the U.S. Department of Education — Established by the Department of Education Organization Act, the department was tasked with strengthening federal commitment to ensuring equal educational opportunity for every individual.

· 1980: Department Becomes Operational — On May 4, 1980, the Department of Education officially began operations, consolidating various federal education programs and offices.

· 1980s: Reagan Administration’s Opposition — President Ronald Reagan advocated for the abolition of the Department of Education, arguing for reduced federal involvement in education. However, Congress did not support this initiative, and the department remained intact.

· 1987: Civil Rights Restoration Act — In response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Grove City College v. Bell, which limited the scope of civil rights protections, Congress passed this act to ensure that anti-discrimination laws applied institution-wide, not just to specific programs receiving federal funds.

· 2025: Trump Administration’s Efforts to Dismantle the Department — President Donald Trump signed an executive order aiming to significantly reduce the Department of Education’s size and functions, citing concerns over federal overreach and promoting local control. Civil rights and Democrats in Congress groups have challenged this move, arguing it threatens protections for marginalized students, another euphemism which allows the inclusion of other so-called protected groups, fostering the neutrality needed to hide behind their anti-Black agenda.

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Annotated Bibliography

1. An Overview of the U.S. Department of Education

Provides a comprehensive look at the department's mission, organizational structure, and its role in promoting equal educational opportunities. 

2. Title I at 50: Past, Present, and Future

Reflects on the impact of Title I over five decades, highlighting its significance in addressing educational disparities for low-income students. 

3. Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974

Details the provisions of the EEOA, emphasizing its role in prohibiting discrimination and mandating affirmative steps to ensure equal educational access. 

4. Reagan Calls For Abolishing Education Dept.

Discusses President Reagan's 1982 State of the Union address, where he advocated for the elimination of the Department of Education, reflecting ongoing debates about federal involvement in education. 

5. Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987

Explores the legislative response to the Grove City College v. Bell decision, reinforcing comprehensive civil rights protections across educational institutions. 

6. Trump's Plans to Axe US Education Department Put Marginalized Students Most at Risk, Experts Warn

Analyzes the potential consequences of dismantling the Department of Education, particularly for students from marginalized communities who rely on federal protections and resources. 

7. Civil Rights Groups Say Push to Dismantle Education Department Will Undo Hard-Won Gains

Reports on the legal challenges and criticisms from civil rights organizations in response to the Trump administration's efforts to reduce or eliminate the Department of Education.