CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reiterated his positions on education Thursday during one of his first speeches since his campaign changed leadership this week.

What’s clear is The Donald is serious about creating school choice for all parents, particularly minority parents, and he couldn’t care less what the nation’s teachers unions think about it.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

“We are going to give students choice and allow charter schools to thrive,” Trump told the audience to a roaring applause. “We are going to end tenure polices that reward bad teachers and hurt our great … teachers.”

Trump’s positions, of course, stand in direct contrast to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who is aligned with and funded by the two biggest teachers unions in the country – the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association.

Clinton has repeatedly declared her opposition to allowing parents to determine the schools that best fit their children’s needs, a position that prioritizes the union monopoly on public education over the families the system is supposed to serve. In the past, Trump has also said he intends to put an end to the national Common Core standards and return control over education to the states. He would consider abolishing the Department of Education, as well.

“My opponent wants to deny students choice and opportunity all to get a little bit more money from the education bureaucracy,” Trump said in Charlotte, according to a YouTube video posted by ChoiceMedia. “She doesn’t care how many dreams are dashed or destroyed. … Young people are destroyed before they even start.”

For decades, the nation’s teachers union have fought all efforts to hold educators more accountable for student performance, and to make it easier for school officials to remove teachers who abuse students, sexually, physically and emotionally.

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

The situation, particularly in large metropolitan school districts, has led to taxpayers footing the bill for teachers who are removed from the classroom because of their dangerous behavior but cannot be fired because of union tenure protections.

The union control over public education is also costing taxpayers millions in unnecessary labor expenses, for things like free plastic surgery for union members included in the labor contract for Buffalo teachers, and free personal legal services written into the contract for Philadelphia’s teacher union members.

Instead of perpetuating those practices, Trump wants to focus on what’s more important – the students and families who depend on the public school system for a quality education. Instead of finding new ways to squeeze more money from taxpayers for union perks, Trump wants to put students first, regardless of whether they attend traditional unionized public schools or charter schools or other alternatives.

“We are going to work closely with African American parents and children. …. We are going to work with everyone in the African American communities, in the inner cities,” The Donald said. “And what big difference that is going to make. It is one of the things I most look forward to doing.

“This means a lot to me,” he said, “and it’s going to be a top priority in a Trump administration.”

Trump’s remarks Thursday came amid a shake-up in his campaign’s leadership that involved Breitbart.com boss Steven Bannon taking the helm from outspoken campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Fox News reports.