PENNSYLVANIA – The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is issuing the following statement in response to the announced visit of Vice President Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to the commonwealth next week:
“Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos are coming back to Pennsylvania because their record of broken promises to Pennsylvania students and families are turning voters away. Time and time again the Trump Administration has sold out Pennsylvania students to side with wealthy special interests,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party Spokesperson Andres Anzola. “Nothing they say in a campaign speech will erase their repeated attempts to slash funding from public schools and their support for predatory for-profit colleges. Pennsylvanians deserve a Secretary of Education that helps all students and working families, not just the wealthiest and well-connected.”
Here’s a reminder of how the Trump administration has broken their promises to students and families on education:
– Trump’s budget proposals took an ax to higher education, slashing $8.5 billion from the Education Department budget.
– Trump claimed that he would deal with student loan debt — but as president he has actually tried to eliminate the student loan forgiveness program.
– Trump claimed he would make America safe again — but his administration is making it harder for survivors of sexual assault at colleges and universities to seek justice.
– Trump’s 2019 and 2020 budgets proposed eliminating $2.1 billion in funding for teacher training and $1.2 billion in funding for after-school programs.
– Trump’s 2018 budget proposed cutting the Federal Work-Study Program in half, taking away jobs that allow students to pay for tuition while they are in school and slashing 55.8% – a $32.7 million cut — from Pennsylvania students alone. During the 2015-2016 school year, more than 45,000 students in Pennsylvania received over $51.5 million through federal work-study programs.
– Trump proposed eliminating the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant program that provides $41.4 million for low-income students in Pennsylvania to pay for college.
# # #