So, Donald Trump is back as U.S. President. No matter if you wanted him to win
or not, one thing that we can all be sure of is that this country will see many, many
changes in the next 4 years of his presidency. As he tends to be, President-Elect Trump
has already stirred up some controversy, relying on his past connections and
relationships in nominating Linda McMahon to become the next U.S. Education
Secretary. Most know McMahon for her role as a WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)
executive. In case you are not aware of the WWE, it is “pro” wrestling, where everything
is scripted and the fights are all rigged to provide entertainment. I remember loving pro
wrestling when I was 8 years old. I, like most people, grew out of it, especially once I
realized it was all staged. So yes, an executive of this male fantasy freak show is the
nominee for the Secretary of Education.
Now, what does this have to do with college admissions and our students?
Throughout his campaign, Trump called for the end of the U.S. Department of
Education. He has continually stated that he wants education back in the hands of the
states. McMahon, if elected, is expected to be charged with ending the Department of
Education as her main job. Also among the policies she supports is a law to make
federal Pell grants “available for those pursuing skills training programs and technical
education, not just traditional college degrees.” This bill would open up grants usually
provided for college students to those who attend programs that are as short as eight
weeks, which would lead to a quicker depletion in federal aid for college students.
While it would be wonderful for students to attend any college they are accepted
to, most have to deal with the financial aspect of the process. Many students (as I did)
depend on federal grants to be able to afford college. An executive director from the
Education Law Center has stated “We must reject a White House agenda - and any
nominee - seeking to eliminate or weaken federal programs that support millions of
students and families in every state, territory, and district in our nation.” McMahon’s
push to allow skills training programs and technical education to sap up grant dollars will
directly influence the ones that need the grant the most, the students who need financial
help to attend college.
One of the main goals of the Department of Education is to make college more
affordable for all students. Eliminating the department altogether will make access to
financial aid more difficult, undermining years and years of initiatives to help students go
to college. I received a considerable amount of financial aid when I went to Emory
University. Without that help, I would not have been able to afford the tuition, and thus
would never have had the opportunity to attend such an esteemed institution. Many
families in the middle and lower class will have to come up with the money somehow, a
bleak situation in which programs from the education department costing billions of
dollars tried to aid. Hiring a wrestling executive with zero K-12 experience to lead this
change does not look like the interests of our students are on their minds. It’s hard to
say whether this policy will be made into law, but the mere attempt to do so will hurt
millions of students around the country.
Jason Lim
Regional Director
Prestige Consulting
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