From: allin
Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican candidate, holds strong views on the reform of the education system in the United States, particularly advocating for the abolition of the federal Department of Education [01:14:17].
Critique of the Department of Education
Ramaswamy asserts that the federal government is not directly involved in education, making the Department of Education a “deadweight waste” that inefficiently cycles money from taxpayers [01:15:12]. He argues that the department distorts educational choices by favoring four-year college degrees over options like vocational training [01:15:23]. Furthermore, he claims the department uses funding as a “cudgel” to compel local schools to adopt “toxic racial and gender ideology-based agendas” [01:15:33].
Proposed Reforms
Vivek Ramaswamy’s plan for education reform includes:
- Abolishing the Department of Education He proposes to shut down the department, which he states spends approximately $80 billion in taxpayer money [01:15:48].
- Returning Funds to States The funds from the abolished department would be returned to states as a “Department of Education shutdown dividend” [01:15:58].
- School Choice Requirement To receive these funds, states would be required to have a school choice program [01:16:04].
- Reforming Teacher Unions States receiving funds would also need to revise their teacher contracts to prevent teachers from joining unions, which Ramaswamy views as a “destructive force on our Public Schools” for “unionizing against the public” and “the very kids you’re supposed to represent” [01:16:11].
- Transparency in the Classroom He advocates for transparency, stating that “if you teach it in the classroom put it online” [01:16:30].
- Incentivizing Efficient Spending Ramaswamy highlights a negative correlation between the amount of money spent per student and actual academic outcomes [01:16:49]. His proposed school choice model would allow parents to receive vouchers or educational savings accounts [01:17:04]. If a parent chooses a school that spends less per student but performs better, they would receive half of the financial difference, potentially amounting to a “quarter Million Dollar Plus graduation gift” upon a child’s graduation from 12th grade [01:17:34].
Connection to Broader Issues
Ramaswamy’s views on education reform are part of his broader platform, which seeks to address what he perceives as a “deeper void of purpose and meaning” in the nation [01:15:04]. He believes that institutions, including schools, should help fill this void by focusing on foundational building blocks such as faith, patriotism, hard work, and family [01:13:15]. This perspective aligns with his critique of phenomena like “wokism,” which he sees as symptoms of this underlying societal emptiness [01:15:00]. He also touches on higher_education_system_critique_and_student_loan_issues and the end_of_racebased_admissions_and_its_implications in his broader political messaging.