As a grandmother and concerned community member in the Baltimore City Public Schools system, I am deeply concerned about the ongoing efforts to undermine public education, most recently through executive actions by the current administration that include eliminating the Department of Education (Trump signs executive order ending Education Department while keeping some core functions, March 20, 2025.)

Halting federal support for our K-12 schools will ensure historically marginalized students do not receive equal opportunities and will take away resources like student lunches and special education programming.

Some leaders in Washington are also pushing the proposed Educational Choice for Children Act. If enacted nationwide, it would divert billions of taxpayer dollars from our public schools to subsidize private institutions. Public schools are already grappling with many budgetary and operational challenges. Voucher programs only worsen these issues, benefiting a privileged few while leaving low-income and rural students with fewer resources.

Public education is the foundation of a multiracial democracy. If we are serious about ensuring a quality education for all students — not just the wealthiest — we must reject efforts to defund our public schools. I urge all of us in the Baltimore area to tell our representatives in Congress to oppose private-school voucher initiatives and invest in strengthening our public schools.

Stephanie C. Chupein

Baltimore