We Already Do So Much With So Little. Why Is America Asking Teachers to Sacrifice More?

“Do more with less.” It’s the unofficial motto of American teachers—and now, Congress wants to take even more away.

I’ve taught for decades in public schools, and I’ve watched colleagues pour their hearts, time, and even their wallets into our classrooms. We don’t just educate—we fund, we feed, we counsel, we patch together broken systems and hold space for kids when the world is falling apart.

So when I hear about the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that proposes $350 billion in cuts to public education over the next 10 years, I don’t feel hopeful. I feel heartbroken—and furious.

We Already Subsidize the System

Most people don’t realize that teachers routinely spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars each year on basic classroom supplies. In the 2024–2025 school year, the average teacher spent approximately $895 out-of-pocket, a 49% increase since 2015 (AdoptAClassroom.org).

We buy books. We buy tissues. We buy snacks when students come to school hungry. We buy sanitary products when girls don’t have them. We fund field trips when families can’t. We keep this system running—not because we’re paid well, but because we care deeply and no one else will.

And now they want to cut Pell Grants? Cap student loans? Slash aid to public colleges and universities? That’s not fiscal responsibility. That’s an attack on equity, on opportunity, on the very idea that a good education should be accessible to every child—no matter their ZIP code or family income.

As of Today, $6.8 Billion in Promised Funding Is Being Withheld

On July 1, 2025, the Trump administration withheld $6.8 billion in federal education funding that was scheduled for disbursement. This includes money for summer school programs, after-school care, English language instruction, adult literacy, and professional development.

No explanation has been given beyond a vague “programmatic review.” No timeline has been announced. No emergency plan is in place for the tens of thousands of children, teachers, and families who rely on this support.

This freeze could shut down 926 Boys & Girls Clubs, cut off learning access for hundreds of thousands of children, and leave school districts scrambling to cancel programs midstream.

This isn’t just poor governance—it’s cruelty in slow motion.

This Won’t Help America. It Will Hurt Our Future.

If we believe in innovation, democracy, and social mobility, we must protect education—not defund it. Our economy doesn’t need fewer nurses, teachers, or engineers. It needs more. Our students don’t need more barriers to college—they need support, mentorship, and access.

This bill claims to hold schools accountable. But who’s holding Congress accountable for weakening the very foundation of the American dream?

I’m Tired of Being Called a “Hero” While Being Treated Like a Liability

Don’t praise teachers in speeches while slashing the budgets that support our students. Don’t thank us with words and gut us with legislation. You want to honor teachers? Fund our classrooms. Fund our students. Fund our future.

Because if you keep asking us to do more with less, one day you’ll find there’s nothing left to give.