President Trump took a historic step to cut federal control over schools by signing an order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Wyoming’s education leader, Megan Degenfelder, stood by his side, calling it a win for parents and local communities. She said Washington bureaucrats shouldn’t decide how Wyoming kids are taught.
Degenfelder praised Trump for keeping his promise to shrink big government. The move slashes federal staff but keeps money flowing to states for programs like special education and school lunches. She believes states like Wyoming can manage these funds better without Washington’s red tape. Critics, including teacher unions, worry the cuts will hurt students, but Degenfelder called those fears “overblown.”
A rancher’s daughter and cancer survivor, Degenfelder has pushed conservative reforms since taking office in 2023. She’s banned boys from girls’ sports, restricted bathroom access by biological sex, and banned cellphones in classrooms. Her agenda focuses on parental rights, safety, and teaching skills like ranching and mining that Wyoming values.
The Wyoming Education Association opposes the changes, saying federal cuts could harm rural schools and special needs kids. Degenfelder fired back, arguing local leaders know what’s best. She wants to replace federal rules with block grants, letting states spend money as they see fit.
At the White House signing, Trump promised to protect funding while “cutting out the middlemen.” Degenfelder agreed, saying classrooms—not D.C. offices—should shape education. She’s working with Trump’s team to ensure Wyoming controls its lands and resources, too, resisting environmental policies that hurt energy jobs.
This fall, Degenfelder plans to expand school choice options, letting parents use tax dollars for private schools or homeschooling. She’s also pushing a law to ban porn access for minors and keep woke ideologies like DEI out of schools.
Opponents claim these policies isolate Wyoming, but Degenfelder remains defiant. “We don’t let outsiders tell us how to raise our kids,” she said. Her supporters say she’s protecting Wyoming’s way of life from coastal elites.
As federal power shrinks, Degenfelder vows to focus on basics: reading, trades, and patriotism. She wants graduates ready to work, not recite liberal theories. With Trump’s backing, she’s betting that local control will make Wyoming’s schools a model for the nation.
