In his first visit to Iowa since announcing a 2024 presidential bid, former President Donald Trump laid out what he wants for American schools should he win: universal school choice, changes in school curriculum, elected school principals and to “break up” the U.S. Department of Education. 

“This is what must be done to save our country from destruction,” said Trump to the crowd in Davenport, Iowa, during a speech intended to address education, among other priorities of his campaign. Republicans, including one of Trump’s expected rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have seized on culture wars in education as a way to make inroads with prospective voters.

Trump, who spoke about a host of issues before turning to education, said he will cut federal funding for any school pushing “critical race theory,” “transgender insanity” or “any other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children.” 

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And in alignment with his executive order allowing federally funded private school choice, he commended Iowa leaders for creating a school voucher program that will eventually be available to every student in the state. 

“I said the other day I will bring back parental rights into our school system, and the place went crazy,” he said. Monday’s crowd, too, reacted with cheers, whistles and claps when he declared, “As president, I’ll fight to expand that right to every single state in America.”

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What are Trump’s other education plans?

  • On COVID-19 regulations: “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or mask mandate from kindergarten through college.” 
  • On student achievement following school closures: “We will be the administration that commits to get the kids back on track and quickly… This must be our priority. It has to be.”
  • On school leaders: He said he will “support the direct election of school principals by the parents.” 
  • On the bureaucracy of the U.S. education system: “Breaking up the Department of Education is a very simple thing to do.”
  • On school curriculum: “What they’re teaching in schools today is insane.”  
  • On transgender students participating in sports based on their gender identity: “People are seriously in favor of having it done, and I don’t understand it.”