As Michigan voters head to the polls for the 2024 Republican primary, the education policies of leading candidates Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are in the spotlight, offering different visions for the future of the U.S. education system. are doing.
The former president proposed a program that would give parents greater control over their local schools, including the power to elect and fire principals. Although education was not a major focus of the campaign, President Trump has been a vocal critic of President Joe Biden's efforts to cancel student loan debt, particularly the Supreme Court's decision to cancel some of the Democratic plan. I've praised it.
President Trump also praised the court's ruling targeting affirmative action programs in higher education, consistent with his own stance against what he perceives as unfair treatment based on race and background.
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Nikki Haley, by contrast, has based her campaign on reforming the U.S. education system. Like many Republican candidates, Haley aims to reduce the size of the Department of Education and advocates more autonomy at the state level in allocating federal funds. Haley emphasizes empowering parents in educational decision-making, supports national school choice programs, and strengthens parent involvement, as evidenced by her partnership with Moms for Liberty. We have pledged our support for policies that will
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Trump and Haley's diverse approaches offer voters a path forward on education. President Trump's emphasis on local control and skepticism about student loan forgiveness and affirmative action contrast with Haley's focus on parental empowerment and systemic reform within the education system. .
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Jeremy Yurow is a political reporting fellow at the USA TODAY Network based in Hawaii. He can be reached at JYurow@gannett.com or X @JeremyYurow.