Sen. Warren Launches ‘Save Our Schools’ Campaign Against Trump Administration Education Cuts

BOSTON, Mass. — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., announced the launch of her “Save Our Schools” campaign on Wednesday, aiming to counter the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. The campaign was initiated in response to proposed funding cuts that could have serious implications for public education across the country.

Warren emphasized the importance of public schools during a Senate floor address on Friday, stating, “Our public schools are the foundation of our future, but Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to end public education as we know it.” She recalled her experiences as a former public school teacher and urged citizens to join her fight against education cuts.

The campaign seeks to highlight the ripple effects of reducing federal education funding in Massachusetts and nationwide. Warren stated that it will focus on real-life impacts, hold the Trump administration accountable, and involve students, teachers, and parents in advocacy efforts. “We need to sound the alarm on this issue,” Warren said in a statement. “It’s not just about numbers; it’s about the lives of every student and family counting on public education.”

In a related development, the Easthampton and Somerville public school districts have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, challenging the administration’s funding cuts as harmful to students and educational institutions in Massachusetts.

Warren has also condemned the federal government’s abrupt termination of over $100 million in education grant funding, which many districts had planned to use for mental health support, security enhancements, and academic tutoring. On Thursday, Warren and other Massachusetts lawmakers, including Sen. Edward Markey and Governor Maura Healey, sent a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon expressing their concerns about this decision.

The letter highlighted that local school districts relied on the expectation of continued funding, which had been communicated by the Department of Education. “Some school districts were anticipating using the funding for critical support services,” the lawmakers noted in their letter.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education defended the cuts, stating, “COVID is over,” and argued that states can no longer justify spending emergency funds under the guise of COVID relief.

Warren remained undeterred, calling for unity among parents and teachers during her Senate remarks. “We are fighting for an America where it’s not just the kids of billionaires who get a good education, but every kid in every community,” she asserted.

In various media interactions, Warren reinforced the idea that education should be accessible to all, urging individuals to share stories of public school teachers who positively impacted their lives. “It was a second-grade teacher, Mrs. Lee, who whispered to me that I was special and that I could be a public school teacher,” Warren recalled, emphasizing the long-lasting influence educators can have.

As Warren embarks on this campaign, she faces a challenging political landscape. Although Democrats currently lack a majority in Congress, she is determined to leverage investigations and grassroots organizing to protect the Department of Education and its funding.

The fight over educational funding and the future of the Department of Education is not just a political battle; it raises questions about the value placed on public education and the equitable access to resources for all students.