Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Administration’s Reversal of Affirmative Action Policies

Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Administration’s Reversal of Affirmative Action Policies

WASHINGTON, DC — Democrats for Education Reform today responded to news that the Trump administration is reversing affirmative action policies introduced under President Obama with the following statement from National President Shavar Jeffries:

“This is an absolute affront to the progress Democratic education reformers have made in the last generation to improve opportunities for students of color and students from low-income communities. Ironically, most affirmative action gives preference to minimally qualified white students who are legacies or development-office picks for admission — those programs remain untouched. The president is once again showing us his true colors — we will remember this in November.”

About Democrats for Education Reform
We are a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students, and to confront those that do not.  We are education progressives who will always prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system.  Learn more at www.dfer.org.

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Contact: Ashley Johnson, ashleyj@dfer.org

Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Proposal To Eliminate The Department Of Education

Democrats For Education Reform Responds To Trump Proposal To Eliminate The Department Of Education

WASHINGTON, DC — Democrats for Education Reform today responded to reports that the Trump administration is expected to unveil a plan to merge the departments of Education and Labor with the following statement from Policy Director Charles Barone:

“At a time when public education is more important than ever, President Trump has dusted off the failed, far-right playbook of 30 years ago to have the federal government do less — rather than more — to help fix our country’s broken public education system.  Make no mistake, this proposal is pure political theater in service of further undermining government’s ability to help people. Congress should swiftly reject this cockeyed idea that would hurt America’s public school children.”

Background on the proposal: In 1995, Republicans in Congress proposed eliminating the Department of Education under Speaker Newt Gingrich’s leadership.  Richard Riley, the Education Secretary at the time, said about the proposal: “I didn’t come here to fight for the bureaucracy… That’s not my nature. But it hits me that to do away with the Department of Education at this particular moment in history would be like doing away with the Department of the Army in the middle of World War II.” [New York Times]

About Democrats for Education Reform
We are a national political organization that supports elected Democrats and candidates for office who seek to expand policies and practices that work well for America’s students, and to confront those that do not.  We are education progressives who will always prioritize students and families, especially low-income students and students of color who should be better served by our country’s public education system.  Learn more at www.dfer.org.

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Contact: Erika Soto Lamb, erikasotolamb@dfer.org

DFER Responds to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Statement That Schools Should Decide Whether to Report Undocumented Students

DFER Responds to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Statement That Schools Should Decide Whether to Report Undocumented Students

New York – In response to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ statements yesterday to the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee that individual schools should decide whether to call U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement if they suspect their students are undocumented, Democrats For Education Reform (DFER) president Shavar Jeffries made the following statement:

“Schools should be safe havens for learning. Full stop. No child should fear their teachers or principal reporting them to immigration authorities. Shame on Secretary DeVos for even suggesting that schools make these calls and fanning the culture of fear that the Trump administration has created across our country, in and outside of our children’s schools. This goes against Department of Homeland Security practice to discourage immigration enforcement in ‘sensitive locations’ like schools and it violates the U.S. Constitution (Plyer v. Doe) as all students deserve to feel safe at school and to receive a high-quality public education, free of fear, regardless of their immigration status.  Someone should remind her that she runs the education department not ICE.”

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Contact: Victoria Fosdal, Victoria@dfer.org

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