Trump: No Plans for Child Care

Both Trump and Vance have recently come under fire for their lack of clear planning when it comes to child care. Although I'm a senior now and one of those available grandmothers, I still remember the days when child care took up a chunk of change in my budget. For those with multiple children, the cost can easily outweigh the salary of many working, middle class parents. Child Care Aware of America found that the national average price for child care in 2023 was $11,582! It's truly a real problem and one that Project 2025 would only worsen.

In addition to dismantling the Department of Education, conservative plans would also eliminate Head Start. In addition to destroying a successful preschool preparedness program, it would also undermine economic growth and exacerbate inequalities among families with young children, making them unable to work or forced to find potentially, unsafe, poor-quality child care arrangements.

Ironically, the data shows that red states disproportionately benefit more from educational subsidies like Head Start due to often having large rural areas. Why would voters in those states want to vote for candidates supporting that cut? Why would anyone anywhere want to cut a program that helps children prepare for Kindergarten and educational success beyond?

Trump and Vance claim to have little knowledge of Project 2025, although in reality both have close ties to those who wrote the document. Banning books, abortion restrictions, threatening equal rights and separation of church and state are just the beginning! Take a closer look at these extreme policies before you go to vote! They would not only affect our democracy, but also the futures of middle class families and their children.

Rhoda T. London, retired educator

Jacksonville, FL