The U.S. Department of Education announced this week it is ending taxpayer-funded programs that supported political activism jobs on college campuses.
The Department of Education will no longer fund the Federal Work-Study, a Biden administration program that paid students to engage in political activities.
The department issued a guidance letter clarifying that institutions should focus FWS funding on jobs that will give students real opportunities.
“Federal Work-Study is meant to provide students opportunities to gain real-world experience that prepares them to succeed in the workforce, not as a way to fund political activism on our college and university campuses,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent.
The FWS program provides part-time jobs to students involving voter registration, voter assistance at polling locations, voter hotline services, or other political activism roles. The jobs could take place either on or off campus.
Following the letter from the Education Department, 16 Republican attorneys general outlined in a letter in April 2024 how the Biden administration violated federal law by allowing FWS to support partisan activism on college campuses.
“Unfortunately, spending tax money to get more Democrat voters to the polls this fall looks to be this administration’s policy,” the letter stated.
In addition, the department’s new guidance makes clear that the Higher Education Act of 1965 does not require institutions to distribute registration forms to students known to be ineligible to vote, to avoid voter fraud.
“Under the HEA, institutions are required to make a ‘good faith’ effort to distribute voter registration forms to students,” the press release said.
Additionally, the Education Department has requested institutions to tell students that only citizens of the U.S. may vote in federal elections, voting twice and providing false information is prohibited under federal law, and an individual can only be registered to vote where they are permanently living.
The Department of Education’s actions of rescinding federal funds from political activism on college campuses follow President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.”
Esther Wickham is an education reporter for The Center Square. Please email her at [email protected] for tips or questions.
Reprinted with Permission from The Center Square – By Esther Wickham
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Important article Esther Wickham – it is appreciated. It is good that you included the information on the Executive Order by President Trump ” Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” — that was a good move by President Trump. I am 75. Have been a Reagan Conservative since 1981. Sometime during the 1970’s I remember hearing the saying – ” Vote — Unless you have something better to do” And if I recall correctly it was several years later heard another voting related saying — a bit more serious than the previous saying That was – ” Vote as if your life depends on it — because it does ‘ This matter is fundamental to holding this Country together. It is serious as it gets.Always a time for some good humor though ( referring to the quality good humor – not the ice cream ) I recall when doing some research on Boston political history that a mayor of Boston named – Curley – (last name Curley ) had some trouble with voting issues having to do with people voting for him more than once. I do believe that was sometime back around the 1920’s And there was a song that some were singing that had in one part ” vote often and early for Curley “
What will the consequences for those spending tax payers money for Dems. votes will be?
Trump ran on shutting it down. i’m MAGA SINCE 2015. SHUT IT DOWN!
How do things like this even get started? Who approved using tax payers money for this? And who signed the checks to these kids?
I thought they defunded the DOE.
So, we believe they’re now going to keep the program but not the political part? Right. Because we can trust the leftist universities.