The Final Whistle: What Happens When Education Closes Its Doors?

Walter McKenzie
Apr 24
5 min read

by Benita C. Gordon, Guest Blogger

Photo credit: David Ryder, Getty Images

Note: As much as I wish this weren’t real - as much as I wake up feeling like I’m living in a twilight zone - we can’t deny it’s happening. The dismantling of public education isn’t just a distant possibility; it’s already here, impacting our friends, families, and colleagues across the nation.

To those who see it, feel it, and understand the weight of this shift - we see you. We send you love, respect, hugs, and encouragement as we navigate this moment together. Stay aware, stay engaged, and most importantly, stay ready.

When the lifeguards pack up, the gates lock, and access is denied - what’s next?

The Moment Before the Gates Close

Do you remember being a kid at the pool, the water park, or the beach?

You knew closing time was coming. You saw the lifeguards grabbing their towels, the staff stacking chairs, the final whistle blowing. And what did you do?

You rushed to get in one last swim.

You ran to squeeze in one more ride.

You took one last picture to capture the moment before it was over.

Because deep down, you knew - when the gates closed, access was gone.

That’s where we are in education right now.

We are watching the lifeguards leave their stations. We are hearing the final whistles blow. We are seeing the Department of Education being downsized, funding being pushed back to the states, and control shifting in ways we aren’t fully prepared for.

And yet, so many people are still acting like we have time.

The truth? We don’t.

What Happens When the Gates Close?

We’re at a pivotal moment. The dismantling of the Department of Education isn’t just politics - it’s a shift that will fundamentally alter education as we know it.

The idea of pushing funding back to the states sounds like empowerment on the surface, but have we thought about what this means for schools, teachers, and students?

🚨 State and Local Education Systems Are Already Overwhelmed -

Many state departments of education and local school boards are not equipped to handle the full weight of funding, policy-making, and accountability. The DOE provided oversight, standards, and federal funding that helped ensure a baseline of quality and equity. Without it? We’re going to see states struggle to:

💰 Manage funding disparities – Wealthy states and districts will thrive,

while lower-income states and rural areas will fall further behind.

📊 Enforce educational equity – Without federal accountability, special

education services, civil rights protections, and standardized funding will be at risk.

🏫 Prevent school closures – Districts already struggling will face even more downsizing, consolidations, and eventual school shutdowns.

🎓 Support teachers – Certification, professional development, and

retention will fall to states already struggling with severe shortages.

And the biggest question: Who benefits from this shift?

The Real Consequences of Education’s Dismantling

Let’s be honest - when the federal government steps back, states are not given MORE money. They’re given the responsibility of figuring out how to distribute less money.

What does that mean?

💨 Privatization will accelerate.

More funding will be directed toward charter schools, private schools, and school choice initiatives - which sounds great until you realize that public schools will be left underfunded and unsupported.

Families with resources will have options. Families without? They will be left in struggling systems.

💨 The teaching profession will be further devalued. With states taking over teacher certification, expect looser requirements, lower salaries, and fewer protections for educators.

Teaching shortages will worsen as states scramble to replace veteran educators with underqualified personnel.

The profession will shift to gig work, where long-term teaching careers are replaced with temporary, contract-based models.

💨 School boards and state legislatures will gain unprecedented power. With no federal oversight, local school boards and state lawmakers will have full control over curriculum, funding allocation, and school operations.

This means deep disparities - some states will invest in progressive, well-funded education, while others will strip resources, change curriculums, and eliminate programs.

💨 Public education as we know it will no longer exist. What is the long-term effect? A fragmented system where zip codes determine not just the quality of education but whether public schooling even remains an option.

So, What Do We Do?

We can’t stand in the water pretending everything is fine. We have to prepare.

🏗 BUILD Parallel Systems.

If public education collapses, we need alternatives that still serve ALL children.

Microschools, hybrid learning models, and community-based education programs must expand NOW.

🛠 PREPARE for Workforce Shifts.

Educators must start thinking beyond the traditional classroom - EdTech, curriculum development, consulting, and entrepreneurship.

Schools must be restructured to retain great teachers before they all leave.

📚 FIGHT for Equitable Funding.

Local and state education leaders must demand transparency in funding allocation.

Communities need to engage in school board elections because once power shifts locally, those decisions will dictate everything.

👥 FORM New Alliances.

If the federal government is stepping back, we need collective power.

Parents, educators, and advocates must come together to demand equity, transparency, and sustainability.

🚪 DECIDE What Comes Next.

Are we walking away from public education, or are we shaping its next phase?

Are we reacting after the doors close, or are we building a plan before they lock us out?

Final Thoughts: The Whistle Has Already Blown

This isn’t a distant issue - it’s happening right now.

We don’t have the luxury of waiting. The Department of Education will continue to shrink, funding will continue shifting, and schools will continue closing.

The question isn’t if public education will change. The question is: Will we be ready when it does?

📣 Your Turn: What’s your plan? How are you preparing for education’s

next chapter? Drop a comment below.

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This compelling call to action is cross-posted with permission. It was originally published by Benita on March 16, 2025 here.

Benita C. Gordon has been an educator for more than 25 years, doing the work from the ground up: leading classrooms, launching schools, designing curriculum, and now disrupting the status quo through microschool innovation. She is the founder of Global Education Concierge, where she helps educators, parents, and community leaders build learner-centered environments, whether it’s a hybrid homeschool, a micro-hub, or a culturally-rooted global learning model. You can contact her directly at gordonglobalec@gmail.com.