ROCHESTER, N.Y. — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, a move that has been a longstanding goal for conservatives. News10NBC’s Kristi Blake spoke with local educators to understand the potential impact on their work.

Sebrone Johnson, CEO of EDceptional, a resource center for local charter schools, expressed concern.

“So, Rochester, with already having our fragile school system for both district and charter schools… That’s just going to be all the more worse,” Johnson said.

The Department of Education primarily functions as a funding and civil rights enforcement organization, providing financial support to schools with high rates of impoverished students and assisting children with disabilities. Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, noted that public schools could be severely affected.

“Most children with greater needs or learning disabilities or conditions, such as, for example, autism or children from very impoverished homes, they are in public schools. The overwhelming majority are in public schools,” Urbanski stated.

Johnson emphasized that charter schools would also feel the impact.

“They are both impacted. Charter schools are public schools as well. So we receive the same title one, title nine funding. And so we have to know that whatever happens to public district schools also happens to charter schools,” he explained.

Both Johnson and Urbanski agree that the executive order could negatively affect students.

Urbanski warned, “I think it’s going to diminish the quality of education, and it’s going to particularly hit hardest at the most vulnerable children. And that’s the sad part about this whole thing.”

Johnson added, “If one child is affected, all children are affected. Yes, it does mean your child too. So we need to make sure that we understand the real ramifications of cuts to the Board of Education.”

While President Trump can issue an executive order, Congress must vote to officially dismantle the department. The Republican Party released the following statement claiming that public schools are failing:

“Our public schools are failing. Prolonged, union-driven school shutdowns and radical social engineering in public schools have created a national movement for school choice. The Department of Education is a bloated bureaucracy that pushes money around without any accountability for the sorry state of public education in America. 

Here in New York, we spend $36,000 per child per year for education, yet less than a third of fourth or eighth graders are proficient in math or reading. Families should be empowered to choose the education pathway that’s best for their child, including religious and charter schools. The resources currently being wasted at the DOE should be passed back to the states and ultimately American families, who know better than federal bureaucrats what’s best for their children.”

Some Democrats have criticized the move as reckless. Twenty-one Democratic attorneys general, led by New York’s Letitia James, filed a lawsuit last week arguing that any attempt by Trump to eliminate the department is unlawful.

Senate leader Chuck Schumer also released a statement after the executive order saying:

“Attempting to dismantle the Department of Education is one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken. This. Will. Hurt. Kids. This horrible decision by Donald Trump will be felt by teachers, parents, school leaders, and in the quality of education our children receive. Across the country property taxes will go up, while the quality of many schools will go down. Presidents cannot make departments and they cannot eliminate them either, only Congress can do that.

The courts must act to uphold the rule of law and stop Donald Trump’s tyrannical power grab.”

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