Project 2025 is a controversial, ultra-conservative proposal for Donald Trump’s agenda if he becomes president.
It sets out four main policy aims: restore the family as the centerpiece of American life; dismantle the administrative state; defend the nation’s sovereignty and borders; and secure God-given individual rights to live freely. It would also eliminate the Department of Education and the vital federal funding it provides schools nationwide through Title I.
Many teachers are at risk of losing their job if Project 25’s Title I component goes through, and it will affect the country in a big way. According to americanprogress.org, “Project 2025 would decimate more than 180,000 teacher positions and negatively affect the academic outcomes of 2.8 million vulnerable students across the country. The loss of 180,000 teacher positions represents 5.64 percent of the teacher workforce nationally, which is roughly 3.2 million public school teachers.”
Zion Heard, a 10th grade ELA teacher at Gadsden County High School, shared her thoughts on Project 2025 and how it could affect her and other teachers.
“As a teacher who grew up in the South, especially in communities that have always depended on Title I, this possibility is deeply unsettling. Many of our schools serve low-income students who rely on the additional resources Title I provides, from tutoring to technology,” she said.
“Knowing my job could be at stake due to budget cuts or shifts in funding is frustrating because I chose this profession to make a difference in these kids’ lives. It feels like the most vulnerable students are the ones who will be hit the hardest,” Heard added.
Title I funds low-income schools and students so that they are able to get schooling and receive an education. With this possibly going away, it will make these students have to work harder to receive schooling that should be free to them. Another issue with Title I possibly going away is that y it affects both teachers and students.
“My students already face enough challenges: limited access to resources, food insecurity and unstable home environments. If we lose funding, we’re stripping away opportunities for them to succeed,” Heard said.
Not only can the elimination of Title I strip teachers’ jobs and students’ education, but it could also raise concern for future parents who are low-income and are worried about their children going to school. Many of these are families of color and minorities.
Heard said that this would widen the achievement gap even more, especially for Black and Brown students who are already marginalized in the nation’s education system.
Project 2025 has a chance of succeeding and being in full effect, depending on what happens in November. If that happens, many lives will change. It seems that teachers would possibly take a stand against the project, just as there would be fewer teachers and fewer students enrolled in these schools. There’s even a possibility of these schools being shut down if they do not have adequate funding.