this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2024
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Summary

Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the Returning Education to Our States Act, aiming to abolish the U.S. Department of Education, a long-time Republican goal aligned with Trump’s agenda.

The bill proposes redistributing the department’s $200 billion budget and responsibilities to other federal agencies and states, such as shifting federal student loans to the Treasury.

Critics warn this could undermine protections for students with disabilities and marginalized groups.

While the bill faces significant political hurdles, it reflects broader GOP efforts to reduce federal influence over education policy.

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[–] [email protected] 126 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

fuck every republican who voted for this.

[–] [email protected] 82 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

fuck every republican ~~who voted for this~~.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Exactly. I've been saying for years that no Republican should be allowed into office, and I stand by that.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Absolutely no politician deserves a seat at the very table they are trying to destroy.

No Republican (with the exception of two -- Romney and Cheney) has condemned J6 and until they do, they absolutely should not get to sit in office.

Yet...here we are.

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[–] [email protected] 93 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Let's think this through... The US Department of Education's functions are primarily:

  1. Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education and distributing as well as monitoring those funds.
  2. Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research.
  3. Focusing national attention on key educational issues.
  4. Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education)

Regarding #1, blue states don't receive nearly as much in financial aid for schools as red states. So abolishing the DOE will reduce the tax burden on citizens living in blue states, at the expense of schools in red states.

Regarding #2, without the DOE compiling this information, it will be up to schools themselves and private research organizations. Badly-performing, severely under-funded schools in red states will, of course, not be able to. Not that they would want to anyway, because without federal assistance, these schools will be in a state of collapse.

Regarding #3, blue states will just focus attention on key educational issues for themselves, while red states focus on fixing their problems by getting bibles into classrooms.

Regarding #4, red states will rapidly descend into systematic discrimination again.

End result: No one will want to hire "graduates" from red states.

This is a self-own of astonishing proportions. The blue states that don't heavily depend on the DOE will manage, while the educational infrastructure in the red states completely falls apart. And businesses in need of skilled employees who can, y'know, read will recruit primarily in blue states.

And the leopards will roam freely through the streets of MAGA-America, feasting on faces in unprecedented numbers.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The guy is from South Dakota. You know, the state known for being one of the Dakotas.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago

I've heard it called "the lesser of the Dakotas"

[–] [email protected] 28 points 3 weeks ago

And the leopards will roam freely through the streets of MAGA-America, feasting on faces in unprecedented numbers.

Yeah, but those that were dumbed down by this system will be more numerous and will vote for qons even harder, dragging all of us down with them.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 weeks ago

Like the other commenter said, they don’t care about their populous except to remain uneducated and easily controllable, solidifying their conservative control. They’ll bribe the highly educated to come in and lead their industries. Look at any third world country, it’s not their ‘poors’ leading industries, it’s global or foreign experts helping them scrape every drop of wealth from their local communities and environment.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

...abolishing the DOE will reduce the tax burden on citizens living in blue states...

There's no such thing as a "federal education funding tax" applied to each state to collectively fund education across the whole country.

The IRS will collect the same federal tax that it always has, but Republicans will funnel the former federal public education money to their pet projects: "crisis pregnancy centers," the military, more tax cuts for billionaires, vouchers for discriminatory private schools, etc.

Therefore the Blue states will get even less federal funding in return for the federal taxes that their economies generate, but by no means will their federal tax burden go down.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

As a teacher, I have a really strong aversion to framing this as a simple battle between states.

What you're talking about may well come to pass, but in reality what it means is that an entire generation of children in poor states -- through no fault of their own, but solely because of the geography of their birth -- will be woefully undereducated and therefore not competitive in the university admissions process or the job market.

Whatever face-feasting-leopard karma we think the adults who voted for Republicans might deserve, their children should have the right to a proper education rather than be saddled with a legacy of poverty and ignorance. And in your scenario it's apparently going to be up to the blue states to care enough about these kids to help ensure their rights.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Why would you believe taxes will be reduced? We gave fascists power, they don't have to negotiate anymore.

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[–] [email protected] 74 points 3 weeks ago

These people are just such pieces of shit. They truly want to destroy this country and give a decisive lead to the likes of China.

Letting states like Texas run rampant with teaching total bullshit like creationism without any restraint whatsoever is going to further down this country and we might as well cede all advances to other countries.

[–] [email protected] 61 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Ok yes I’m concerned about marginalized and disabled students, but I’m mostly concerned about Americans being too damn dumb already

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

10 mins later: Mississippi is introducing a mandated co-op middle and high school. Where students only need to be in class 2 days a week and get hands on experience in desirable fields such as farming/agriculture. You just have to work 2 days a week to make sure you get your credits to get to the next grade!

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Don't read up on "no child left behind" then, it's been a huge reason a ton of kids are basically illiterate. Our dept of education doesn't need to be abolished, it needs to be properly funded, so more schools can be built and teachers can be paid more with smaller class sizes.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

I know all about it. 35. So it came into law when I was 11.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago

Duh. That's because :

“The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic department that causes more harm than good,” Rounds said

/s

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[–] [email protected] 50 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

FUCK ALL THE WAY OFF, SOUTH DAKOTA.

You're a deadbeat state.

The federal share of South Dakota's state budget has been above 40% since 2021, when it spiked to 56%

The federal government provides aid to states and local governments in the form of grants for programs like education, transportation, and Medicaid. 

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If the feds ever pays more than half of a states budget that state should immediately have all standing politicians removed and replaced with a temp government while the Fed undoes whatever garbage policies caused that

In the meantime that state and it's citizens don't get representation, they didn't fucking pay the membership dues to the union

No taxation without representation works the other way

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 3 weeks ago

Traitors, all of them.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Republicans, pro-stupid since 1980!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

It is what keeps them in power, after all.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 42 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Fine, just murder it already. Sorry we wanted society to have enlightenment. Sorry that got in the way of your insatiable greed.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago

And religious indoctrination.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Critics warn this could undermine protections for students with disabilities and marginalized groups.

Meanwhile Republicans:

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

At first I thought, "ok they've got their mind made up no matter what, nothing can convince them" Then I realized it meant they were enjoying marginalized students being at a bigger disadvantage. Clever panel.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Any bets on how far US will fall in global rankings? I am guessing maybe two or three places in the next five years

https://www.cee.org/newsevents/press-releases/index-excellence-stem-education-compares-us-students-global-competition

Why do some people think that smart immigrants would want to come to the US if the general population is hard to deal with? What part of quality of life do they not understand?

Okay, let’s take some prosaic examples.

— H1-B visa man goes to a restaurant. Restaurant staff are racists, QOL degrades, H1-B visa man rethinks staying long term in the U.S.

— H1-B visa man enrolls children in private school. Private school staff is religious fundies, and education at a public level would be cheaper and better in another country. QOL degrades, H1-B visa man decides to move from the U.S.

For most skilled immigrants the calculus is based around money and what they get out of it, you shouldn’t expect there’s any intrinsic worth to staying in the U.S. if standards are shit and qualify of life degrades.

So in simple terms, you’ll have dumber people on average in house and smarter people on average in other countries.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago

Hell, who is going to want to come study in the US on a visa if we have mass deportations going on? It’s a pretty safe bet that many of those visa holders will get stopped and challenged multiple times by roaming gangs of thugs looking for illegal immigrants to haul away. And it’s also a pretty safe bet that some of them will simply claim the visas are fake or otherwise invalid and make those students lives miserable as they try to sort things out.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Easiest way to keep voters dumb. The GOP relies on people voting against their own best interests.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago

And we know Trump knows this, as he was recorded years before stating the economy does better under Democrats....

Also remember his first attempt running for President was in 2000, when he said his running mate was going to be Oprah Winfrey. He held events in California, Florida, and Minnesota before dropping out. I believe he talked about 1 or 2 other presidential runs as well, but never had his ducks in a row. So it was about his 4th time attempting to figure it out in 2016, 5th 2020 and now his 6th time running in 2024.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

well, duh. it's the natural progression of the gops war on education theyve been waging since the 60s. turns out it's way easier to get people to vote for you if you master propaganda and refuse to teach people critical thought.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago

They done great job too. Not only does my mega family now believe that moon landing was faked, but that the earth is flat. Seriously they are getting dumber by the second. All based on where they get their information.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Trump (and Republicans) love the poorly educated. This is all part of their plan to keep people stupid so they're easily manipulated, thus keeping the GOP in power.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

This is all part of their plan to keep people stupid

and poor from unplanned pregnancies they don't want and can't abort, and future unplanned pregnancies due to lack of contraceptives.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This is the chance for one underpaid government tech worker to delete the wrong folder in the transfer and erase the debt

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Just keep going with that logic and defunding every public service and let them separate every state until they all become 50 small autonomous countries.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Red states are about to find out how much they depend on blue state money.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago

Putin would love nothing more than for that to happen.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Honestly, let them. Then all the blue states can form a union while the red states become a balkanized bastion of hatred.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Man why are we fantasizing about this. What’s the reddest state you can think of, Texas? 42% blue. Florida? 43%. Even in ridiculous places like North Dakota, 1/3 of the people voted blue. What happens to them when blue states form their little utopia?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Is it better to let the entire country suffer then instead? This whole election has been a series of complicated trolley problems

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago

That guy looks like he always beats his wife for enjoying sex.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago

Taliban has made their country shittier than republicans have made america and god dammit they're not losing that battle anymore.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So he probably "thinks": "school did not work for me, why waste money on other having a chance?"

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Clear the way for more educated states to populate our best universities and create a generational gap in education and idiocy then. Morons.

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