The ongoing government shutdown has left the Education Department in limbo, exposing vulnerabilities within the education system and prompting significant concerns among students, administrators, and faculty across various universities. With programs at the Department of Education being cut and uncertainty looming, schools are getting a firsthand experience of functioning without federal support. Faculty and staff are voicing their worries about the potential long-term consequences for higher education. As gridlock persists in the Capitol, many students are questioning the implications of ideological standoffs, amplifying fears that the shutdown could disrupt public education for an extended period.