The question of whether America should abolish the U.S. Department of Education is causing concern among educators. Many argue that dismantling the department might have disastrous effects on vulnerable populations, while supporters argue that it would reduce government spending and give local communities more authority over their schools.

I believe if we lost the Department of Education, the effects on Black students would probably exacerbate the already unequal access to higher education and create further obstacles to academic achievement.

Founded in 1980, the Department of Education’s purpose is to advance student success and remove obstacles to educational opportunities. It oversees government programs that provide anti-discrimination safeguards and sends funds to underprivileged schools.

The department’s work on systemic inequities in the education system is often overlooked, as it has been criticized for being unnecessarily bureaucratic.

The Department of Education has a major funding role for K-12 and higher education, as well as programs for marginalized students (most often Black). The department has allowed hundreds of thousands of students to attend college with the help of federal grants, scholarships, and student loan programs. This support enables many students to afford tuition or other higher education expenses.

Dismantling the Department of Education would likely result in being deprived of such essential supports, which are already sparse for Black students who find themselves navigating barriers to get into and through college.

The abolition of the Department of Education could make schools more sensitive to budget cuts and result in a continued concentration of funding amongst wealthier districts.

Beyond dollars, it also holds civil rights enforcement authority over schools. The laws include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, a provision enforced by the department. It also makes sure that students with disabilities get their proper needs met to excel in school. Without the department, these protections might be in jeopardy in states or districts where political will to combat racial discrimination is lacking. That may also affect the discriminatory handling of student discipline and a growing achievement gap.

Courts have eroded federal funding for HBCUs, which is already strained under the weight of inequality. These institutions depend on federal grants and programs operated through the Department of Education.

While HBCUs create a unique opportunity for Black students to obtain a quality education, the availability of such institutions is often strategically underfunded. Debt programs for students on the federal level are essential to many college students, including those from the Black community. Therefore, federal loans which have a lower interest rate and are easier to pay back compared to private loans, are generally cheaper for students that require financial assistance.

Without the Department of Education, students will likely be required to take on private loans at higher interest rates, resulting in the possibility of student debt and long-term financial consequences. However, the possible consequences of abolishing the Department of Education have gone beyond just financial. The department oversees the implementation of education programs targeting institutional inequities. Charter schools that masquerade as public schools often receive funding intended for other purposes, such as the Department of Education’s programs to close the achievement gap, increasing diversity in higher education, and for children with disabilities among others.

For many Black students, it has been a crucial weapon in the fight for educational fairness. The department’s efforts to guarantee that students of all races have fair access to high-quality education, financial aid, and civil rights protections are a crucial part of the fight for racial fairness in our nation, which has lasted for many decades. Supporters argue that the Department of Education should work with students, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, in a way that would benefit them more rather than dissolving the department. However, the deconstruction of the Department of Education is the last thing our country needs as it struggles with racial injustice.  The importance of the federal government in providing equal access to education cannot be underestimated; without it, some communities would suffer more than others.

Abolishing the Department of Education is a political decision, but its impact reaches much farther than that. The department helps guarantee that our students access higher education, civil rights, and the tools for success in underfunded schools. Dismantling the ED would be detrimental to not only Black students but also HBCUs. It would deepen existing imbalances in education. Rather than dismantling, the goal should be to reform and even reinforce the department so that it could serve all students more inclusively –especially those most marginalized by the system.