Congressman Fields Stands Strongly Against President Trump's Unconstitutional Decision to Dismantle the Department of Education

For decades the Department of Education has served our nation’s students and teachers ensuring that all children have access to a quality education regardless of income, race, gender, or zip code. President Trump’s decision to supersede Congress and unilaterally attempt to dismantle this vital agency is an attack on our nation’s students.

According to the Louisiana Department of Education, there are currently more than 670,000 students enrolled in public schools across Louisiana’s 64 parishes. Federal funding supports services for children with disabilities and ensures that schools across the state and the nation are free of discrimination.

Educators will also be drastically impacted. Ending Title I, which provides funding for schools who serve low-income students, can lead to the loss of roughly 180,000 teaching positions, affecting 2.8 million students in low-income communities, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress.

Additionally, the Department of Education manages the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Pell Grant program, which helps students pay for tuition, housing, fees, and supplies as they pursue higher education. In Louisiana, approximately 102,000 students relied on Pell Grant assistance in 2024. Nationally, over 6.53 million students were Pell Grant recipients during the 2023-2024 school year. 

“This is an attack on education that Congress cannot stand for,” said Congressman Fields. “President Trump should be doing everything he can to uplift educators and students. Instead, he is creating fear, uncertainty, and chaos as schools and universities will be left to wonder what happens to the funds that their students rely on.”

“Truly dismantling the Department of Education would require the approval of Congress, which the President will not receive,” according to Congressman Fields. 

Congressman Fields is the founding member of the Congressional Education Caucus and previously served as the chairman of the Louisiana Senate Education Committee.

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