Trump’s Unorthodox Take on American Teachers
It appears that the controversial figure of President Donald Trump has taken it upon himself to unveil an unexpected truth about America’s educators.
At a press conference held on Thursday, during which he announced an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education, Trump shared his views on the necessity of supporting those who mold the minds of America’s youth. His comments, largely overlooked by mainstream media, were delivered with surprising earnestness and without a hint of contradiction.
Indeed, one might argue that nothing would benefit educators more than a radical overhaul of the existing educational framework.
“I want to just make one little personal statement,” Trump declared in a clip shared on the social media platform X.
“Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country. And we’re gonna take care of our teachers,” he continued, eliciting applause from the audience.
Yet, the president wasn’t finished. “And I don’t care if they’re in the union or not in the union. That doesn’t matter,” he added, as applause grew louder.
This sentiment resonates strongly with conservatives who harbor a deep-seated skepticism towards unions, particularly teachers’ unions, which have often been criticized for their ineffectiveness. Trump, however, chose to spotlight the individuals genuinely invested in education.
“But we’re gonna take care of our teachers,” he reiterated. “And I believe — I believe the states will take actually better care of them than they are taken care of right now. They’ll work all sorts of systems and even merit systems. Those great teachers are gonna be maybe a little bit better rewarded, and maybe that’s the way it should be, but the states are gonna make that decision.”
It’s undeniable that exceptional educators deserve better compensation. One might hope that with Trump’s directive to redirect resources away from educational bureaucrats, this promise will materialize.
In his remarks, the president emphasized that education should be a collaborative effort involving teachers, students, and parents.
“But we’re gonna love and cherish our teachers along with our children, and they’re gonna work with the parents, and they’re gonna work with everybody else, and it’s gonna be an amazing thing to watch, and it’s really gonna be something special,” Trump proclaimed.
.@POTUS: “I want to just make one little personal statement: Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country — and we’re going to take care of our teachers.” pic.twitter.com/6KUtGk02X5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
At this juncture, I hope the reader will indulge a brief personal reflection from my years as a history professor. As much as I dislike self-referential anecdotes, they often provide context for the points I wish to make.
It was not until I entered graduate school in 1998 that I began to grasp the low esteem in which many academics held education programs. Their criticisms were not political; rather, they revolved around the glaring lack of rigor within these programs.
For instance, in early 1999, I engaged in a conversation with a history professor for whom I was a teaching assistant. This professor, while generally amiable, seemed to harbor a subtle disdain for his students, as evidenced by his overly complex exam questions that contributed to a C-minus class average.
As a novice at the time, I learned that part of my responsibilities would include grading some of his undergraduate exams. So, I innocently posed what I thought was a reasonable question.
“I’m not going to grade your PhD students’ exams, right?” I asked hesitantly.
“NO WAY!” he exclaimed, aghast at the mere suggestion. Then came the ultimate rebuke to my naïveté.
“What do you think this is, the College of Education?” he retorted.
This exchange has lingered in my memory for over 25 years, particularly because it echoed a sentiment I rarely encountered elsewhere.
In fact, the only time I ever heard an external professor praise an education college occurred during a committee meeting and remains etched in my memory, as it was a rarity.
Ultimately, effective teachers often emerge despite, rather than because of, the training system designed to prepare them. The mechanisms of educational curricula and certification primarily serve the interests of those who, unable to effectively teach, opt for “advanced” degrees in education, often fleeing the classroom to achieve administrative roles.
When such individuals transition into school administration, we see mediocre educators dictating the standards and methods for competent teachers.
While it must be acknowledged that not all administrators come from this background, the overarching system tends to foster and perpetuate mediocrity. Most liberal academics I encountered were acutely aware of this reality, yet they refrained from voicing their concerns, partly due to their alignment with the Democratic establishment.
In summary, it is crucial to recognize the significance of Trump’s initiative to disentangle teachers from the bureaucratic apparatus. His challenge to the educational establishment is both timely and necessary.
This article originally appeared on The Western Journal.
