The White House issued an executive order on March 20 to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. If enacted, this decision would roll back decades of progress in ensuring equal access to quality education, disproportionately harming marginalized communities, including the youth we serve. While an executive order alone does not have the authority to shut down the Department of Education, since it still requires congressional approval, it does give the Secretary of Education the directive to take steps toward its closure. This move follows the recent termination of nearly two thousand Department of Education employees, marking yet another attack on public education.
The impact of such a decision would be catastrophic. The Department of Education has played a crucial role in advancing education equity, particularly for low-income students, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. Dismantling it would strip away essential protections and resources, deepening existing inequities. For many students in our communities, who already face systemic barriers, this would be devastating.
At Future Leaders of America (FLA), we believe education is a fundamental human right. A strong public education system has been one of the most powerful tools for breaking cycles of poverty, opening doors to opportunity, and building thriving communities. To dismantle it is to deny students the future they deserve. For decades, FLA has fought for education equity, working to eliminate systemic barriers that make achieving a college-going culture difficult in our communities. We will not stop now.
We will not stand by.
FLA remains focused on our commitment to education equity. Now is the time for action. We call on our communities to unite, organize, and raise our voices to protect the future of public education.
FLA will continue to:
- Develop Youth Leaders who understand the value of education, their power as changemakers, and their role in shaping the future of their communities.
- Organize with Intention by creating spaces for dialogue, healing, and action as our youth process this moment and mobilize for change.
- Advocate with Purpose by working with statewide allies to protect and expand access to education in California and push back against federal policies that threaten student success.
In response, FLA is launching one of its most ambitious civic engagement campaigns yet, mobilizing Latino youth, one of the fastest-growing and most powerful voting blocs in the nation. Their voices will not just be heard, they will be impossible to ignore.
We are watching. We are organizing. And we will continue to speak truth to power.
Now more than ever, we must stand together for the future of public education.
