One of the key promises President-elect Donald Trump made while campaigning for the White House was to abolish the US Department of Education. The federal agency, established in 1979, oversees funding for public schools, administers student loans and runs programmes to help low-income students.

The feds not only fund programs for the most vulnerable children, but also Pell grants, manage state compliance with federal law, like Title IX.

The demand for abolishing the US Department of Education is growing. The sentiment has always lurked in the background, among conservatives and many Republicans who believe, somewhat rightly (more on that later), that the federal government should not have anything to do with education. Remember the 10th Amendment?