While I don’t agree with Trump on several issues (including his backing away from protections for the unborn), in response to these goals…Godspeed, Mr. President! I pray that he follows through. Our students who are trapped in gender confusion need our compassionate help, and lying to them about their core identities as male or female is not true compassion, but rather enabling their misery and ongoing harm. That being said, in my role, I frequently interact with educators who face the sometimes daily decision about whether they cooperate with unjust laws or district policies about gender or leave their teaching positions—places where they feel called by God to serve and be lights for Him. Given the complex Biblical examples of heroes like Rahab and Esther, I lean toward trusting the Holy Spirit to lead educators differently on these issues. 

Second, Trump’s most consistent and emphatic pledge regarding education has been to end the federal Department of Education. He said at a September rally in Wisconsin:

I say it all the time, I’m dying to get back to do this. We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education…We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing.  

Various conservatives have wanted to end the DOE since its inception in 1979, pointing out that the federal system created by our Constitution gives powers regarding education to the states. 

However, two “yuge” political obstacles will likely stop Trump in this case, given that he would need an act of Congress. First, even if the GOP wins the House and the yet undecided Senate races, it will be well short of the 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster in the Senate. As a result, any legislation will require Democrat support. As evidence of the significance of this obstacle, in Trump’s first term, he tried to cut the DOE budget every year. However, compromises with Congress resulted in slight increases each year, even when Republicans held majorities in both houses of Congress.

Second, ending the DOE would be hugely symbolic, giving Democrats the easy opportunity to paint Trump as “anti-education.” Those of us who remember the budget battles of the 90s (when those attempting to reduce the growth of government spending were successfully characterized by opponents as wanting to cut kids’ school lunches) know how difficult it is to break through emotionally charged political opposition to enact reform. Trump may well get “school lunched” by Democrats if he presses this issue. 

A third policy that will impact education is Trump’s repeated promise to deport illegal immigrants. At an Iowa rally in September, he said, “Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” and has suggested his target is 15-20 million deportees. As an educator in Southern California, I taught many students who were in the country illegally, and did my best to love and teach them well. As Christians, we are called to love the foreigners among us, just as God commanded the Israelites to do (Lev. 19:33-34). Those coming into our nation are not our enemies. However, Scripture also mandates the government to protect the innocent (Rom. 13:4), which I believe includes securing a regulated border and immigration process. So while this is a challenging issue, nonetheless, a deportation of this size would not only dramatically disrupt the lives of those deported, but our schools and classrooms as well, resulting in the loss of jobs in education. 

Is this kind of drastic action likely? I’m not sure. On one hand, Trump can’t run for reelection, so he may not be as worried about the controversy—has he ever been worried about controversy? But a massive deportation strikes me as unlikely. Instead, I predict a combination of policies similar to his first term that will tighten the border and reduce incentives to enter or remain in the US illegally. I certainly expect he will work hard to deport those with criminal records, and increase pressure on “sanctuary” cities and states to cooperate with immigration enforcement. For those of us who teach in immigrant communities, I would expect to see some impact on enrollment. It is a good reminder to take advantage of opportunities to make an eternal impact on our students—their presence in our classroom should not be taken for granted.

Fourth, we can expect Trump to continue appointing federal judges that will recognize the religious and speech rights of both students and educators. In places like Bremerton, Washington, Escondido, California, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Massillon, Ohio, federal judges who respect the original intent and plain meaning of our Constitution and laws are upholding our rights to serve in public schools without violating our consciences. Given his track record, I expect Trump to appoint more judges like these. 

Finally, how are you feeling about the results, and what do your feelings reveal? Jubilation or despair over elections may reveal that we have placed too much of our hope in man and what can truly be accomplished through political means. I have learned over the years to temper my expectations of what blessings will come out of victory, or what tragedies will come out of defeat. Rather than placing hope (or angst) in politics, would you join me in seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Matt 6:33), praying for revival, trusting the future to Him, and upholding our new leaders in prayer?