Nebraska For Us statement on executive order calling for elimination of U.S. Department of Education
“Nebraska For Us is deeply concerned about this extreme order from the Trump Administration. Let us be clear: the executive branch cannot close departments on its own without Congress, but this order appears to compound dramatic layoffs to weaken a department that works to ensure our state’s most vulnerable students are protected.
“Nebraskans support public schools, and our state’s public education system regularly ranks in the top 10 nationwide. The Department of Education plays a crucial role in supporting our schools in addition to local school districts in rural and urban communities and statewide agencies.
“Congressman Don Bacon and our entire federal delegation must stand against this harmful order that cuts public education. As a member of Congress, Don Bacon has the power to vote against ending the department, which would affect critical programs that help ensure student success. We’re calling on him to do the right thing and oppose this attempt to close the U.S. Department of Education.”
-State Director Angie Lauritsen
“Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education and cutting public education is the wrong move. As a public school teacher, I witness the benefits the department provides to Nebraska schools each and every day. I worry what this move will mean for our area’s most vulnerable children, especially as the department oversees critical funding and manages policies that ensure students of all ages and backgrounds have access to a quality education.”
-Melanie Peltz, Ralston High School teacher
