CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS JOINS COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN HER DISTRICT TO FIGHT FOR SCHOOLS AND EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF RESISTING TRUMP-MUSK ATTACKS ON THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, joined with community members on May 17, 2025, at a rally in her district to discuss Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s attempts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. The Congresswoman released the following statement after the rally:  
  
“Donald Trump and his reckless co-President Elon Musk are working hard to eliminate the Department of Education. The Department of Education was created by Congress in 1979 as part of the federal government’s commitment to ensure equal educational opportunities to students, regardless of their background.  As a former Head Start teacher, I am especially appalled by Trump’s efforts to defund Head Start and eliminate all of the progress we’ve made since the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954.   
  
“Last year, the state of California received over $10 billion from the Department of Education. These funds were appropriated by Congress and allocated for key programs like Title I assistance for local schools, Pell Grants for low-income college students, special education, and grants for schools that need the most support. This funding helps ensure students across the state have access to vital resources and opportunities. In their war against diversity and public education, Trump and Musk are trying to rob local students of billions of their own tax dollars - federal money allocated to critical education programs that our most vulnerable students rely on to survive and succeed in school. Trump and the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, are stealing food out of the mouths of children and resources from our schools. 

“California’s 43rd District alone serves nearly 180,000 students, and this federal support plays a critical role in funding programs that support basic education in reading, math, and science, provide financial aid for higher education, and help schools in underfunded areas improve educational outcomes. In my district, we are fortunate to be served by several dedicated school districts that are working tirelessly to provide quality education, including Torrance Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Compton Unified, Inglewood Unified, Hawthorne School District, Lawndale Elementary School District, Wiseburn Unified School District, Centinela Valley Union High School District, and Lennox School District. These school districts, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, are committed to fostering an environment where all students, whether they are from South Los Angeles, Watts, Willowbrook, or the diverse cities and communities of the South Bay, can thrive.”