To say that 2025 has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. We have witnessed as beloved local and national figures have passed on, celebrated strides in our community with the Black Business Hub, navigated economic hardships, and watched the Center for Black Excellence become a reality. Umoja magazine even made a foray into fashion in support of the Madison Reading Project.
These joys and pains have happened under the dark cloud of the new presidential administration and its policies that take an axe to so many things that we hold dear: our health, our wellbeing, our history, and our education.
One of the Trump campaign’s key messages during the 2024 election cycle, was a promise to eliminate the Department of Education. It is fulfilling that promise.
The curriculum that students learn in K-12 schools is determined by the state while funding for schools comes primarily from local tax dollars. So, what does this mean?
The first step in responding to this question requires understanding the Department of Education’s responsibilities in prior administrations. The department provided funding to schools in support of students who require special education services and students from low-income backgrounds. Many of us know the department through the administration of federal student aid. It has also conducted important research and collected data that has enabled researchers across the country to better understand education at a local and national scale.
Perhaps one of the most crucial functions of the Department of Education occurs through the Office for Civil Rights, which ensures educational equity for all students. I highlight this function because, without it, there is no accountability to laws that protect against discrimination and enforce civil rights at the federal level.
Since January, we have seen changes at the Department of Education that are unprecedented in its 46-year history. After the executive order dismantling the department, nearly 1500 employees have been laid off or accepted voluntary resignations, cutting the department’s staff in half. Funds that Congress appropriated to schools also have been held up, causing districts across the country to cut services. The elimination of grant programs has not only halted research, but dried up funding for many local community education programs for children and adults.
Student loan rules have changed in ways that threaten many current students’ ability to complete their studies and makes college far less accessible for many future students. Repayment plans for those who have borrowed in the past have changed in ways that threaten household budgets, and the possibility of loan forgiveness has died for many borrowers.
In July, the Madison Metropolitan School District reported that it would see $12 million dollars less in federal funds for the upcoming school year. This shortfall places key community programs like Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR) in jeopardy.
The tide has turned with respect to civil rights as well. As hostility grows toward children of color, the Office of Civil Rights has established “Retaliation Discrimination” as one of its priorities. This move provides support for those who believe that efforts supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion have kept them from opportunities. Think “Reverse Discrimination.”
As the federal landscape seems to change daily, it is difficult to know how to act, but it is clear that we must do something. As Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for The School Superintendents Association, said in a recent NPR interview, “this is not a future problem. This is a today problem.” We can start by contacting our congresspeople on both sides of the political aisle to demand federal support for education.
Changes for student loan borrowers will begin after July 1, 2026. The Student Loan Borrower Assistance program at the National Consumer Law Center (www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org) has a number of resources to help borrowers understand student loan changes and how they may be affected.
Finally, as a community, we must play both defense and offense. We must develop defensive strategy to fill in the gaps to support those whose educational opportunities are impacted, if not eliminated, by these changes. This includes students who require special education services, low-income students, and adults who are learning to speak English or preparing themselves in the trades. The demand on local community organizations that are already making miracles with minimal resources is increasing, and those who can help, must in any way possible. Reach out to the Centro Hispano, the Academic Learning Center at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the Madison Schools Foundation, or the Madison Public Library to share your resources in time, expertise, or money. Local scholarship programs will also be more important than ever in the coming years.
Our offensive strategy must include protecting what we hold dear. Community education programs like Justified Anger and the Freedom Youth Squad provide models for us to take up the responsibility for educating our community. Have you heard of a banned book? Read it. Better yet, bring a group of friends together to read. Clearly there is something in there that will make us a threat if we do. The American Library Association keeps a list of banned books on their website (www.ala.org/bbooks).
Challenges surely abound, but we will continue to meet them. As this school year begins, let us band together to protect our future from those who work to reinstate the past.
