DFER National President Shavar Jeffries Statement on President Trump’s Proposed FY 2018 Federal Budget

“The budget announced today by the Trump administration is an assault on public education. Cutting upwards of $9.2 billion from the Education Department’s budget is going to make it harder for our schools to effectively educate all students. This budget affects nearly every aspect of the U.S. public education system. It cuts student aid, slashes funding for hundreds of thousands of teachers, and terminates essential programs that help some of our most underserved communities. 

“The harms these educational cuts exact on our children are accelerated by the Trump budget’s related cuts to vital safety net programs that support our most vulnerable children and families. This includes over $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance, and Obamacare, as well as $193 billion in cuts to the SNAP food stamp program, and drastic cuts to HUD’s affordable housing programs. 

“It is abundantly clear that the Trump administration is actively working against the will and best interests of our students, teachers, families, and communities by dismantling the resources, support, and policies necessary to deliver on the promise of a high-quality public education for all.

“We believe in an approach to education reform that combines increased investments, innovation, choice, and accountability, and one that reflects our philosophy that access to an excellent public education is a fundamental right for every child in this country, no matter his or her background. This budget is anathema to our core beliefs, and it confirms many of our gravest concerns about this administration’s lack of understanding for the needs of our kids, and the educational future they deserve.

“As this budget is a blueprint, we look forward to working with Congress to shift the priorities put forward by this administration so that they better reflect the needs and best interests of our students, teachers, families, and communities.”