Dana Goldstein

You know, in a lot of ways, Kim, it's symbolic. And like a lot of these executive orders, it's less about their legal force and more about announcing this administration's priorities. This particular order would be a loud and bold way of signaling that this president wants to majorly overhaul education in this country and drastically change the federal government's role.

You know, in a lot of ways, Kim, it's symbolic. And like a lot of these executive orders, it's less about their legal force and more about announcing this administration's priorities. This particular order would be a loud and bold way of signaling that this president wants to majorly overhaul education in this country and drastically change the federal government's role.

Well, I think to figure that out, we have to look at what President Trump has actually done so far with the agency because that gives us a lot of insight into how the next four years will go with him in office when it comes to education. Okay, so what has happened? To get a sense of that, we can actually look at what is going on inside the Department of Education building in Washington, D.C.

Well, I think to figure that out, we have to look at what President Trump has actually done so far with the agency because that gives us a lot of insight into how the next four years will go with him in office when it comes to education. Okay, so what has happened? To get a sense of that, we can actually look at what is going on inside the Department of Education building in Washington, D.C.

There are people in there embedded from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency Group. And what they are doing is really looking to slash budgets to decimate the research efforts of the agency. They are looking to lay off workers, and they have done so. And they are looking to replace some human work with artificial intelligence.

There are people in there embedded from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency Group. And what they are doing is really looking to slash budgets to decimate the research efforts of the agency. They are looking to lay off workers, and they have done so. And they are looking to replace some human work with artificial intelligence.

Our reporting showed that they are particularly focused there on the call center that answers students' and parents' questions about federal financial aid, which you can imagine is super complex, gets into some really personal and private information about families. They are interested in handling way more of that with an AI chatbot, and they are actually attempting to build it internally.

Our reporting showed that they are particularly focused there on the call center that answers students' and parents' questions about federal financial aid, which you can imagine is super complex, gets into some really personal and private information about families. They are interested in handling way more of that with an AI chatbot, and they are actually attempting to build it internally.

So they are very busy inside of the Department of Education right now.

So they are very busy inside of the Department of Education right now.

Yeah, that's part of it. But Kevin, it's about a lot more than just that. President Trump has a broader sort of MAGA vision for public education, which is really about battling what he and his allies see as woke ideology that has pervaded the nation's schools around issues like race, gender, sexuality, and American history. And we are already seeing this play out.

Yeah, that's part of it. But Kevin, it's about a lot more than just that. President Trump has a broader sort of MAGA vision for public education, which is really about battling what he and his allies see as woke ideology that has pervaded the nation's schools around issues like race, gender, sexuality, and American history. And we are already seeing this play out.

And I will give you a couple of examples. Remember that investigative power of the Department of Education that I mentioned, which enforces anti-discrimination laws? They, the Trump administration, are already using that power, but in a very different, really polar opposite way. So, for instance...

And I will give you a couple of examples. Remember that investigative power of the Department of Education that I mentioned, which enforces anti-discrimination laws? They, the Trump administration, are already using that power, but in a very different, really polar opposite way. So, for instance...

They are investigating the Denver public schools because they had transformed a single girl's restroom in one high school into a non-binary restroom. And they are investigating whether this could potentially be considered a violation of girls' civil rights.

They are investigating the Denver public schools because they had transformed a single girl's restroom in one high school into a non-binary restroom. And they are investigating whether this could potentially be considered a violation of girls' civil rights.

They are looking into the Ithaca public schools, investigating a series of conferences that were held there that were for students of color and looking into an allegation that white students were not invited to these conferences, which were about diversity issues and considering whether that could be considered a violation of white students' rights.

They are looking into the Ithaca public schools, investigating a series of conferences that were held there that were for students of color and looking into an allegation that white students were not invited to these conferences, which were about diversity issues and considering whether that could be considered a violation of white students' rights.

And they also, just late last week, President Trump signed an order that would attempt to withhold federal student loan forgiveness for public service careers from workers who are working at nonprofit organizations whose policies around immigration or around transgender issues buck President Trump's ideas on those issues.

And they also, just late last week, President Trump signed an order that would attempt to withhold federal student loan forgiveness for public service careers from workers who are working at nonprofit organizations whose policies around immigration or around transgender issues buck President Trump's ideas on those issues.