By Keri Rodrigues, President, National Parents Union
It’s been 100 days since President Trump returned to the Oval Office, and for millions of families across this country, that stretch of time has felt like a slow-motion disaster. From reckless economic policies to the gutting of federal protections for our most vulnerable students, American families, especially those of us raising children, are feeling the chaos, the fear, and the cost.
And make no mistake: there is a real cost.
Despite the President’s promises of strength and stability, a recent New York Times/Siena poll shows the truth that families live every day: 54% of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy, trade, and global conflicts. The Trump Administration’s early decisions, slapping new tariffs on critical imports and slashing the federal workforce, have only made things worse. We’re now seeing tariff-related shortages in grocery stores, while the price of basic goods continues to rise. And yet, working and middle-class families are being told to “tighten their belts” while billionaire allies of this administration are about to get the largest tax cut in modern history.
On top of economic stress, families across America are now facing another kind of devastation: the deliberate and unconstitutional dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. In one of his hundreds of chaotic and unclear executive orders, President Trump instructed the Secretary of Education to dismantle the Department- a move that defies Congress’ authorization of the agency. Half of the Department of Education staff were fired, and nearly 43% of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) was eliminated, leaving 46 million students across 27 states without access to civil rights enforcement.
That includes students with disabilities. Families who rely on the federal government to protect their children’s right to a free and appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 now find themselves with nowhere to turn. Entire OCR regional offices have been shuttered. Nearly 7,000 open investigations, cases involving racism, sexual harassment, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and disability discrimination, have been abandoned. These aren’t just numbers. These are our kids.
And still, the Trump Administration has issued no guidance to families, schools, or administrators. No plan. No accountability. No care.
Parents are scared. We are struggling to navigate a government that seems to have turned its back on us. And as grant dollars stall at the state level due to new executive order restrictions, even the programs designed to support our children’s futures are being delayed or denied.
What we are witnessing is not a return to American greatness, it’s a calculated unraveling of the American Dream.
At the National Parents Union, we represent parents from every walk of life, from every zip code. And what we’re hearing, loud and clear, is that this administration’s agenda is not working for families. It’s working for the wealthy, the connected, and the powerful.
But we will not be silent. We will not let our children’s futures be collateral damage in a political war.
To parents across the country who feel like you’re being left behind or left out: we see you. We are fighting with and for you. Because the promise of this country should be that no matter your income, background, or ZIP code, your child deserves access to a high-quality education and a fair shot at a better future.
We cannot let that promise be destroyed by chaos.