Pushback Against the Dept. of Ed. Did Not Begin with Trump
By Elena Chin
“Education is the principal responsibility of local school systems, teachers, parents, citizen boards, and state governments.” — Ronald Reagan
Calls to reduce or eliminate the Department of Education predate President Trump by nearly two centuries. The role of the federal government in education has long been a highly debated topic. In fact, the establishment of the original Department of Education under President Andrew Johnson in 1867 sparked immediate controversy, despite the agency’s limited authority, which focused solely on collecting statistics and sharing educational best practices nationwide. By 1868, the department was downgraded to the Office of Education and placed under the Department of the Interior, as many lawmakers and citizens feared government overreach and the erosion of powers reserved for the states.
Delivered by Tiffany Justice, Co-Founder of Moms for Liberty, at the 150th Anniversary Lincoln Dinner on March 2, 2025
Good evening, friends. Upon the sacred ground of our forefathers’ promise, etched in toil and sealed with hope, we gather tonight as stewards of a timeless charge: to defend our fundamental parental rights, to guard our children, to shield their innocence, as the first duty of any people who dare to call themselves free. We meet under the shadow of Abraham Lincoln—a man who rose from a log cabin to hold a nation together through its darkest division. Here in Queens, in this year of 2025, his words still echo, calling us to hope, to resolve, and to the power of the people united. I am Tiffany Justice—a mom, a fighter, and co-founder of Moms for Liberty—and I am honored to stand with you and ask: what would Lincoln say to us today?
“Public education is a house on fire and parents need to get their children out Now!” – Alex Newman (Author and journalist)
Deceptive marketing, and the false claim of an urgent need to protect abortion rights in New York State, proved effective for proponents of Proposal 1. Despite valiant bipartisan efforts to defeat it, almost 62% of New Yorkers voted in favor of the Democrat-driven amendment.
The ramifications of passing Prop 1 will further outrage parents already outraged by mask mandates, school closures, drag queen story hours, gender ideology, and critical race theory curriculum being taught to their children. Well-intentioned New Yorkers, blindsided into voting in favor of the amendment, will be rudely awakened as they begin to experience the real-life consequences of the amended law.
Excited mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and concerned adults came together for the third annual Moms for Liberty summit from Thursday, August 29 through Sunday, September 1st, at the JW Marriott hotel in Washington DC.
Eight joyful members of the Queens County Moms for Liberty Chapter and I attended this year’s event. Surprisingly, we weren’t greeted by angry unhinged protesters the likes of those who excoriated us when we arrived at last year’s summit in Philadelphia. Perhaps they’ve finally realized “we the parents” are standing our ground and we “won’t back down.”
Since its inception, the organization’s founders, Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, have remained steadfast in their mission to fight for the survival of America by unifying, educating, and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government, and the annual summit is a testament to it. With a speaker line-up of five presidential candidates including President Trump, the 2023 summit was a tough act to follow, but Tiffany and Tina did not disappoint us. This year’s keynotes were different in comparison, yet no less epoch-making with President Trump as the main attraction.
From beginning to end the atmosphere was filled with the love, laughter, and the camaraderie of those dedicated to protecting children and preserving liberty. Most of the first day was devoted to chapter chairs only, who united in fellowship and friendship as they shared about their successes and hardships. Later in the evening all guests attended the Welcome Reception, where everyone laughed heartily at comedy of Rob Schneider and the satire of Seth Dillon and the Babylon Bee.
At the kickoff breakfast the next morning, we heard compelling stories from the “Walk Away” speakers: Tulsi Gabbard, Jennifer Sey, Maud Maron, and Shawn Theirry. These brave women put their principles first and left the Democrat Party because of the radical agenda it has embraced. Tulsi Gabbard’s words resonated loudly when she said, “there is no force more powerful than love….in the face of hatred and darkness we must wear that armor of love.”
We next heard from the “Media Matters” panel featuring frontliners Sebastian Gorka, Jan Jekielek, and Adele Malpass who discussed the polarization of the media and what they referred to as “the censorship industrial complex.” Then, James Lindsay, a favorite of the crowd, encouraged us to be “grateful to be living at such a time as this,” before he received the ceremonial Liberty Sword given to individuals who unabatedly stand for the principles of Liberty. In between speakers, we also had the opportunity to choose from a host of informative break-out sessions to attend.
Following a short break in the program, we returned to a Dessert Reception and danced to live music, adding to the excitement that led up to the highlight of the event, Tiffany Justice’s fireside chat with President Donald Trump. Excitement filled the room as he promised to cut federal funding for any school “pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.” President Trump’s policies undoubtedly align with our mission.
On Saturday August 31st we sent a powerful message to politicians and bureaucrats across America that PARENTS are in charge of the upbringing of our children, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. Moms for Liberty, together with a coalition of more than 30 conservative groups, made history at Daughters of the American Revolution Hall by partaking in the kickoff of the “March for Kids Movement.” We were privileged to hear the inspirational words of speakers like Billboard Chris, Dr. Alveda King, Glenn Beck, and many others that morning. To add to the excitement of this momentous event, award winning singer Mary Milben, who performed the National Anthem for Presidents GW Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden, released her new single “On to Victory”, featuring Lee Greenwood and written by Claude Gardner, who first announced his plan to write it at the 2023 summit. The song, referred to as a “mother’s anthem” was written for mothers nationwide fighting to preserve liberty for their children. The song’s release could not have come at a more fitting time.
We returned to the hotel that evening for a cocktail reception, the “For Such A Time As This” Awards Gala Dinner, and the words of keynote speaker Glenn Beck, who urged us all to come together for the sake of our children and our country.
During the “Blessings of Liberty Breakfast” on the last morning, we were reminded of our purpose as we watched a performance from the children who had attended the “Liberty Kids Club.” Dr. Alveda King then united us in song and prayer, Marissa Streit CEO of Prager U led a panel discussion about antisemitism and religious liberty, and Rick Green from Patriot Academy discussed restoring American exceptionalism one family at a time.
The 2024 Summit was a roaring success which exceeded our expectations. It was motivational, educational, and inspirational. We left feeling hopeful, renewed, empowered, united and eager for next year’s summit. The annual Moms for Liberty Summit is open to the public. We hope you consider joining us in 2025. It is an experience of a lifetime!
