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A few miles from the beautiful white sands of Fort Lauderdale’s beaches, you will find my alma mater, Fort Lauderdale High School, on the corner of Northeast 4th Avenue and 16th Street.
Back in my day, Fort Lauderdale High School, home of the “Flying L’s,” was a safe, thriving and welcoming place filled with teachers who were mentors, motivators and our biggest cheerleaders. They stayed after school to help struggling students, pushed us to believe in our potential, and made sure kids from working-class families had access to a solid public education.
That public education paved the way to college, graduate school, and ultimately, my career.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Like so many public schools across America, Fort Lauderdale High is a Title I school, meaning it receives federal dollars to support students from low-income families. Title I isn’t just a funding mechanism – it’s a lifeline for students seeking the education they deserve, regardless of zip code.
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These funds support everything from hiring and retaining quality teachers to after-school programs that give kids a safe place to learn and grow. Today, more than 26 million students nationwide depend on Title I funding that ensures access to the same opportunities their peers receive.
However, Title I has been underfunded for decades, forcing schools to do more with less and stretch every dollar so students don’t get left behind.
President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the Department of Education will devastate Fort Lauderdale High and countless other schools, which raises an important issue: most folks do not really know what the Department of Education does.
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At its core, the Department of Education helps every child have access to a quality education, no matter where they live. It also enforces civil rights protections, oversees federal student aid and ensures that schools serving low-income communities receive the funding they need.
Without federal oversight and funding, programs like Title I could vanish or be run by misguided state lawmakers deadset on upending funding models based on equal treatment under the law, leaving students without critical support. Public schools are already facing enormous challenges, and stripping away these resources would widen the gap between affluent and low-income communities, making it even harder for working families to access high-quality education.
Like me, more than 83% of America’s young people attend public schools. They deserve great math teachers, dynamic debate coaches, well-prepared science educators, advanced placement classes, art, drama, civics, and much more. And while some argue that school choice is the answer, the reality is that a family’s best choice should be their neighborhood public school.
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Instead of strengthening that choice, Trump’s plan and misguided attempts by state lawmakers to push forward private school vouchers and other private alternatives will destabilize both urban and rural schools, making it harder – not easier – for families to find quality educational options.
This isn’t just about policy. It’s about people. It’s about the millions of students who rely on their public schools to give them a fighting chance in life. It’s about the teachers who wake up every morning, determined to make a difference, even as they’re vilified and underpaid. It’s about the communities that rely on public schools, not just as learning centers, but safe havens, meal providers and the launching pad for lifelong dreams.
Lawmakers on the right often stress the importance of family values, hard work and opportunity. But what greater investment in American families is there than providing every child access to a high-quality education?
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Dismantling the Department of Education isn’t about cutting bureaucracy – it’s about cutting the future of America’s children. We should be investing in our public schools, not tearing them apart. Leaving Title I in limbo would have a catastrophic effect on students, public school educators and communities nationwide.
That’s why our children deserve more thoughtful policy solutions that will ensure every one of them has access to a high-quality education – no matter where they live or how much their parents make.