Suddenly, Trump wants to spend millions of dollars on STEM in public schools

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Suddenly, Trump wants to spend millions of dollars on STEM in public schools

By Valerie Strauss September 25 at 6:19 PM

During the 2016 presidential campaign, it was Hillary Clinton who talked about spending federal money to provide more STEM education — especially computer science classes for all students. Donald Trump wasn’t much interested then — and his proposed fiscal 2018 budget didn’t spread much love in that direction either. It zeroed out one of the Education Department’s main programs that could be used for such a purpose, and it eliminated funding for NASA’s education office (which, among other things, oversees efforts to support women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields).

Now, he’s changed his mind.

The White House issued a memorandum Monday (see text below) directing the Education Department to spend $200 million a year on grants that promote science, technology, engineering and math education, and “particularly computer science.” It noted that only 18 percent of high schools accredited to teach Advanced Placement had computer science classes, and that minorities, students in rural communities and girls are less represented in computer science education than other students.

It isn’t clear where the money is supposed to come from; the memo doesn’t say.

The push for improving STEM education, especially for girls, has been a priority of Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and adviser, who has appeared at several events with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to promote it.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/09/25/suddenly-trump-wants-to-spend-millions-of-dollars-on-stem-in-public-schools/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Glory hallelujah, they have seen the light!

Yeah......sure they have.



Well, we can hope.

[procon]

2. Its an act, just words he said for a photo up while surrounding himself

with a bunch of little black kids to show he really, really cares.





Its just a damn memo, and since there is no funding source, this ruse will probably never be heard from again. If he can't find $200 million for STEM education, try NOT cutting $9 billion from the department of education.

[MyOwnPeace]

3. He thinks STEM

project has something to do with hair replacement and growth!

[benld74]

4. Have him spell it first

[radical noodle]

5. He was surrounded by students when he announced it

Many of them were African American. Now his supporters can point to this and say "Hey, he's not a racist. Look how nice he was to those kids."