Statement from Early Edge: Department of Education Cuts Impact the Most Vulnerable Children & Families and Weaken Our Country
Department of Education Cuts Impact the Most Vulnerable Children & Families and Weaken Our Country
Children and families in communities across the country have experienced tremendous, destabilizing change in a very short period of time due to the actions being taken by the current administration. The latest move to eliminate nearly half of the Department of Education’s staff will have heavy and immediate impacts on children, families, and educators everywhere.
We applaud California Attorney General Rob Bonta for taking swift action against these cuts by filing a multistate lawsuit today that challenges the mass firings of the Department’s employees, and appreciate his focus on protecting children and families in California and across the country.
Education is what makes America competitive and a key strength of the country. It gives kids of all backgrounds better opportunities in life, and is one of the best resources this country offers. The opportunities begin in the earliest years with federally- and state-funded child care and early learning programs that serve our country’s most vulnerable kids so they too can have the chance at a bright future. We should be thinking about how to improve and expand education, and not rolling back or dissolving this critical asset.
Early Edge California is deeply concerned about the impacts this decision will have on children who rely on these programs every day and don’t have another option. These cuts will disproportionately impact Black and brown students, Dual Language Learners, students with disabilities, and children from communities that are under-resourced. They will also impact educators supporting these young learners as well as their families.
The long-term ramifications are serious. When we eliminate education, we eliminate a pathway to economic mobility for children and their families–the impacts of these actions are multigenerational, and ultimately weaken our country’s economy.
“We are committed to ensuring that young children get the early learning and child care supports they need as soon as they’re born; their brains can’t wait,” said Patricia Lozano, Executive Director of Early Edge California. “Taking away services greatly impacts their learning and growth at a critical stage in their development.”
In the coming months, we will work with partners and state and federal leaders to uplift and protect the needs of the most vulnerable children and families. This includes calling for the use of best practices, paying educators more, and providing supports for families so we can uphold high-quality early learning and care.
We will continue to advocate, as we always have, for creating better futures for our youngest learners and supporting the adults who work hard every day to set them up for success.
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Early Edge California is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving access to high-quality Early Learning experiences for all California children so they can have a strong foundation for future success.