School Me Saturday 3/22/25- What’s in a department anyway

I’m going more macro on this post for School Me Saturday.

Let’s talk about the Department of Education and all that it does.

Well. Did. Does to the best of its ability every day.

The Department of Education is not the newest kid on the department on the block. Far from it.

The DOE was established in 1979 by Jimmy Carter. According to an article by the Oregon Public Broadcasting, its roots stretch back to the Civil War. The goal at that time was the ensure civil rights. You know, what there had just been an entire war fought over. There was the office of education that became the bureau of education that was enveloped by the Health Education and Welfare. This large bureau/department was split by Jimmy Carter into two- the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Are you with me so far?

Department, bureau, office, no matter what it is called, has a central tenet to defend civil rights. Against those who would take the civil rights away.

Gee, a subset of the population that doesn’t want to give those they deem as less worthy any consideration at all.

This sounds very familiar.

And fits right into the white man grievance that is driving this administration.

The question we should be asking is what does a white man have to be grieved about? The answer that all too often is given is that why should X be given something that I didn’t get. No matter that X has been shat upon by these same people and under their feet for as long as we’ve been a country. Longer even.

There is a misconception that the DOE sets curricula. No, no they do not. Those are set by states.

If you want to blame the government for under performing schools and things that you don’t agree with being on the curriculum, perhaps look to the voting record and who has been voted in to decide on this stuff.

The Department of Education does far more than just give money and guidance to the states. It holds the massive student loan debt and administers to it. It makes rules that a struggling student can get an IEP (individualized education plan) instead of rubber stamping square pegs into circle holes they don’t fit into.

The Department of Education also allows for the disabled kids to attend school. To feel normal. Something that is lacking in their lives.

The establishment of the Department of Education was a bi-partisan effort. No matter what the asshole revisionists say. At its core, the DOE is creating a level ground for all the students in the US, no matter their socio-economic background, no matter their perceived ability to even be in school.

And making sure that all the states have an equal say and that students have equal civil rights.