UC Berkeley students rally against President Trump's education agenda

BERKELEY, Calif. - Students at University of California, Berkeley rallied on Thursday against President Donald Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

Students on UC Berkeley's campus have long been at the forefront of progressive movements, and students at the rally told KTVU Thursday was no different. 

"We come to this campus knowing that amazing leaders have spoken here and have started movements across the country, and that’s what we wanna do today. We want to start a movement across the country and say, 'Stand up! Defend our education," Fabian Molina, a senior at UC Berkeley, told KTVU. 

Last month, President Trump signed an executive order directing the dismantling of the Department of Education. His administration says it is empowering parents, states and communities to improve their own education outcomes.

Students at UC Berkeley gathered in historic Sproul Plaza to voice their dissent against the president’s efforts.

Students say President Trump's efforts are causing fear on campus

What they're saying:

"It threatens my ability to succeed in general as a low-income student and a student with a disability," said Maya Mercado-Garcia, a junior at UC Berkeley. 

Maya Mercado-Garcia is studying to become a teacher. She says diversity is a key part of campus life.

"It’s an important part to have diverse learners on these campuses with more opinions, more insight to different histories to different experiences, and to different resources," Mercado-Garcia told KTVU.  

This comes as President Trump’s appointed Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has also ordered investigations into three schools in the University of California system— including UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC Irvine—regarding the consideration of race in admissions policies.  

Students at UC Berkeley told KTVU they are growing more concerned about attacks aimed specifically at diversity, equity and inclusion programming and opportunities. 

Cecilia Lunaparra is a member of the Berkeley City Council. She is the first Latina and the first undergraduate student elected to serve on the City Council. She says her public education was key to her success.

"As a product of a public school and also a representative for the local government to be loud and clear about how detrimental what our federal government is doing is," Cecilia Lunaparra, Berkeley City Councilmember for District 7 said. 

Students at the rally said they are concerned about how a less diverse community could negatively impact their education.

"A more diverse community is a better community. A more inclusive community is a better community and when we’re talking away diversity…we’re limiting resources for students who historically haven’t been able to get our voices heard or have a seat where decisions are being made," Mercado-Garcia said.

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