US bishops respond to Trump’s executive order reducing the Department of Education

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has responded to President Donald Trump’s March 20 executive order reducing the impact of the Department of Education.

“While the USCCB does not take a position on the institutional structure of government agencies,” USCCB spokesperson Chieko Noguchi wrote, “the Catholic Church teaches that parents are the primary educators of their children and should have the freedom and resources to choose an educational setting best suited for their child.”

Noguchi added that the USCCB supports all public policies that affirm a parent’s right as primary educator and that the USCCB supports maintaining positive relationships between parochial, private, and public schools. 

“As this Executive Order is implemented,” Noguchi concluded, “it is important to ensure that students of all backgrounds in both public and non-public schools, especially those with disabilities or from low-income backgrounds, will continue to receive the resources they need.”

As CatholicVote previously reported, Trump’s executive order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin redistributing the Department of Education’s various programs and dismantle the department. Trump said the change will allow for a more effective use of taxpayer dollars on a local level, and that is the first step in shutting down the department entirely. 

Throughout his campaign and presidency, Trump has also advocated for school choice, and one of his first executive orders directed the Department of Education to facilitate school choice initiatives. 

The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), introduced to the House of Representatives in January, would provide a national solution for parents seeking a better education for their children, CatholicVote Vice President Joshua Mercer wrote. 

Read More…