QUICK HIT: Department of ED: Was It Doomed from the Start?
SmartHERNews
Jenna Lee
5 • 615 Ratings
🗓️ 25 March 2025
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Why did The New York Times question the creation of the Department of Education back in 1979 — the very year it was founded?
In this episode of SmartHER News, we take a closer look at the ongoing debate over the future of education in America.
With recent calls to dissolve the Department of Education, we revisit a historic NYT editorial titled “An Illusion of Education Reform” and explore the concerns raised about union power, funding disparities, and federal vs. local leadership.
How can we improve education today? Is it time to rethink the system entirely? Join the conversation and share your thoughts! [email protected]
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| 0:00.0 | Why did the New York Times editorial page raise questions about the Department of Education the |
| 0:05.7 | very year it came into existence? Let me tell you about it. I'm Jenna. This is Smarter News. |
| 0:16.8 | We're continuing to follow the story about the future of the Department of Education in America. |
| 0:21.5 | Last week, President Trump had this to say when he argued it should be dissolved. |
| 0:27.2 | When President Carter created the Federal Education Department in 1979, |
| 0:32.7 | it was opposed by members of his own cabinet as well as the American Federation of Teachers, |
| 0:38.2 | the New York Times editorial board, and the famed Democrat Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. |
| 0:45.6 | History has proven them right, absolutely right. |
| 0:48.6 | This got me thinking. What did the New York Times actually say about the Department of Education? |
| 0:52.9 | Clearly, the president is mentioning it because the New York Times tends to lean the Department of Education. Clearly, the president is mentioning |
| 0:54.6 | it because the New York Times tends to lean more liberal and is more critical of conservative causes |
| 0:59.6 | and platforms. So he's mentioning it to underscore his assertion that many have disagreed with an |
| 1:06.1 | independent Department of Education throughout the years. It's not just him. It's not just Republicans. |
| 1:10.0 | It's not just this administration. So I went looking. I was curious about what I might find. And here's what I landed |
| 1:16.1 | upon. It's an editorial written on January 16th, 1979. Now, later that year, President Carter would |
| 1:22.7 | make the Department of Education official signing it into law as an independent Department of Education in America. |
| 1:30.0 | This editorial is entitled, An Illusion of Education Reform. |
| 1:35.9 | And this is what the New York Times editorial board wrote about this. |
| 1:40.4 | And this is a quote, a separate department of education would provide merely the illusion |
| 1:46.2 | of reform, end quote. The editorial board worried about a few different things, wondering why would |
| 1:52.8 | an independent department of education be more effective? Would it solve problems or would it create |
| 1:57.5 | more? Listen to this. I'm directly quoting from the editorial here. |
... |
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