At first impression, the halls of Redwood may seem far removed from Washington DC; however, recent changes made in the capital by President Donald J. Trump’s administration are directly affecting our classrooms, curriculum and futures. These shifts may feel distant but in reality, they threaten to reshape our education.
Since his inauguration less than 100 days ago, Trump has signed a series of executive orders. Two of these orders target the Department of Education. Specifically, Trump has signed an order closing civil rights offices and another ending “radical indoctrination” in K-12 schooling across the United States. These policy changes are poised to significantly affect Redwood students, and our district is not as sheltered as we may think.
On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to begin dismantling the United States Department of Education (ED), aiming to transfer federal educational authority back to the states and local school communities from the federal level. The order instructs the Secretary of Education to close the ED, “to the extent permitted by law.”
Under the plan to abolish the ED, key functions such as the Federal Student Aid and Special Needs Programs, would be reassigned to other federal agencies. The $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio would be transferred to the Small Business Administration, while programs supporting students with disabilities would be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services. These agencies lack the expertise to effectively support low-income and special needs students. Lisa Kemp, Assistant Principal, understands the impacts of financial aspects around special education at Redwood.
“By law, we have to educate kids, [and] have to provide special education support in classes, but we’re just going to have to pay for them and we have to take money out from other places,” Kemp said.
The funding cut from special education at Redwood will result in less funding for electives. This also means lower quality training for staff and teachers, negatively affecting the learning environment for students and providing less protection and rights for disabled students.
“That might mean fewer teachers that teach electives, and it might mean not having as many options for kids to choose from in terms of electives or courses that aren’t required for graduation,” Kemp said.
The closure of the ED will also result in less funding for federal grants, which include college financial aid. College and career counselor, Becky Bjursten, thinks one of the biggest impacts of dismantling the ED will be financial aid for students.
“If federal funding is changed or disappears then many students won’t be able to afford college,” Bjursten said.
Without the ED, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Pell Grant programs will be negatively impacted, resulting in students being challenged to access financial aid and support for college.
“Financial support is a weapon being used right now, so there is a lot of danger,” Bjursten said.
The ED also oversees national standardized testing, including the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress taken by juniors. Without ED oversight, testing may become less rigorous.
“If states start to prioritize different subjects or teaching in different areas, that could have an effect on national tests such as the American College Testing and Scholastic Assessment Test. It could affect Advanced Placement offerings,” Bjursten said.
Furthermore, less rigorous testing can affect the college application process as well as the college curriculums.
“[Less rigorous testing] can overlap into funding for colleges, programs offered, availability for spots and availability of graduate programs,” Bjursten said.
The process of dismantling the ED has also led to significant reductions in the Civil Rights Offices (OCR). This harms students who are protected by certain civil rights laws, including those who need special education support.
“At Redwood, we have 30 percent of kids with 504 Plans or Individualized Education Plans; A higher proportion than some other schools,” Kemp said.
The OCR staff has been reduced by more than half, which has left less oversight from the federal government. With staff shortages, the federal government may not address discrimination complaints in schools and other educational settings.
In the process of dismantling the ED, President Trump signed Executive Order 14190 titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” on Jan. 29, 2025. This order terminates any federal funding for K-12 schools that teach about “gender ideology” or promote teachings of non-American ideas. “[Students] are not being indoctrinated, [and] that’s where we’re going to feel the impact when [teachers] are afraid to teach about things,” Kemp said.
The order also allows parents to review school material and request changes in the curriculum.
“[Teachers] are under a microscope and they are being watched right now,” Kemp said.
A new curriculum called “Community and Consciousness,” formally known as “World Cultures and Geography and Social Issues,” is taught to every freshman at Redwood. The Community and Consciousness course teaches students about real-world issues and topics including race, gender and sexuality. The Trump Administration claims topics such as these are radical. Community and Consciousness teacher, Nicole Plescia, worries about the impacts at Redwood from dismantling the ED.
“I do fear for all of the work that we’ve done to make sure that everyone feels heard and to bring equity into our space and to educate [students],” Plescia said.
The Family Rights and Privacy Act gives parents legal leverage to challenge the school curriculum, which restricts teachers from discussing important issues in classrooms.
Educators are beginning to consider the potential changes to their curriculum required by these orders, and how these changes will be detrimental to their ability to teach.
“That for me is one of the biggest tragedies, because once you take away teachers’ confidence, [they can lose their passion],” Plescia said.
Teachers with sensitive topics in their curriculum will have to choose between staying silent and under-educating their students to keep their teaching credentials, or continue to teach these forbidden topics in their classrooms while fearing potential federal oversight in the district.
“It’s crushing education to take away teachers’ voices and their confidence. That’s what makes the classroom a magical place.” Plescia said.
Classrooms are more than just a place to learn, and what’s now being enforced across the country is limiting the education we get every day. When teachers are not permitted to teach their students how they want to, our education becomes filtered. Even though Redwood feels far from the center of national policies, the decisions made in Washington DC affect our curriculum, educators and our future.
