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Colton Bradberry
BY COLTON BRADBERRY / Opinion Editor
On Presidents’ Day, demonstrators gathered outside the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville, Texas, for the "We the People" protest to speak out against what they describe as the undemocratic appointment of Elon Musk and the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The protest was part of a larger national movement raising concerns over government overreach, transparency, education policy and the erosion of democratic institutions.
In addition to concerns about Musk’s influence on federal policy, protesters also spoke out against Texas state education policies, including the push for school vouchers and potential funding cuts to public schools.
Moumin Quazi, chair of the Erath County Democratic Party, emphasized that the demonstration was about defending democratic values and opposing unelected influence in government.
“Well, it’s Presidents Day, and so we're just honoring the United States presidential legacy by saying stop the monarchy, protect democracy. It’s non-partisan. People are peacefully protesting the unelected bureaucracy of Elon Musk being in the White House and all the executive actions that the current president is executing,” Quazi said.
He further criticized Musk’s access to sensitive government data and the power he wields without having been elected by the people.
"Nobody elected Elon Musk. He’s just been appointed, and he’s being given unprecedented access to data and records. He’s coming in and indiscriminately slashing government agencies, and it’s not what anyone voted for," Quazi added.
Beyond Musk’s unelected role, protesters raised concerns over his financial ties to government contracts and potential conflicts of interest.
"To be taking money away from our government with all of the billions of dollars in contracts he has with the government is also against our ethical principles. He wants to sell $300–$400 million worth of his Cybertrucks to the U.S. government. That’s a conflict of interest," Carilyn Alarid, a concerned Stephenville citizen, said.
A major focus of the protest was education policy, both on a federal level with the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and on a state level with school vouchers in Texas.
Chelsea McGowan, a Tarleton alumna, warned that such policies would have devastating effects on students, especially those with disabilities.
"The dismantling of the Department of Education is going to lead to so many problems for so many students, as well as our teachers.” McGowan said. “Special needs students are about to lose their accommodations. Kids with vision issues will no longer be able to have braille or larger print. That’s the kind of stuff that the Department of Education protects through Section 504.”
Protesters also spoke out against school voucher programs in Texas, which they argue will drain funding from public schools and widen education inequality.
"We are protesting this insistence on having school vouchers, which hurt public schools. It is a complete lie that this will strengthen our education system. Stripping funding from our public schools will push Texas kids even further behind the national average," McGowan said.
Many protesters expressed concerns about how special education students in Texas could be negatively impacted.
"A lot of people think we’re just not going to be talking about trans identity in schools, but it’s more than that.” McGowan said. “Blind kids and kids with vision issues will no longer have access to braille. Special education kids could lose the resources they need to successfully complete their education.”
Another major point of contention was the DOGE access to federal data.
"Elon Musk has an office in the White House and was unelected and unvetted by Congress. Appointees like that are supposed to be confirmed and voted on, and he was just allowed in," Dr. Lesly Spotz, a former professor at Tarleton, said.
She further alleged that DOGE staff had entered the Treasury Department over a weekend to access government databases, now holding records on every American with a Social Security number or ties to the federal government.
"Now they have information on every American that has ever worked for the federal government. If you have Social Security, they now have information on all Social Security contacts," Spotz said.
The overarching theme of the protest was a call for transparency, accountability and the protection of democratic institutions.
"Everything that makes our country a great democracy, they are pushing it out. They’re getting rid of our basic rights. That’s what makes our country what it is," said Alarid.
McGowan also criticized the divisive nature of current politics, arguing that misinformation and fear-mongering are being used to turn Americans against each other.
"The Republican Party, the way it stands, is doing its very best to divide us; us against minorities, us against immigrants, us against the gay community. It’s always about ‘who is coming for you.’ What if we were all together?" McGowan said.
As protests against DOGE and Musk’s role in government continue nationwide, demonstrators in Stephenville hope to raise awareness and influence public opinion.
"All the people here, we call our representatives, we march, we vote, but the best thing we can do is be here, hold up a sign and hope that a Trump voter drives by and thinks, ‘I didn’t think of that,’" McGowan said.
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