- Twenty Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The group alleges that proposed cuts to the Education Department amount to its “dismantling” and jeopardize its critical responsibilities.
- Over 1,300 employees were dismissed in the first round of layoffs. An additional 600 accepted buyouts, raising concerns about the nullification of federal laws requiring the work of those employees.
- The department can only be dissolved by congressional action. Still, the administration’s budget cuts and layoffs aim to minimize its functions, echoing past efforts by President Ronald Reagan.
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Twenty Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration Thursday, March 13, to stop what they say is his “dismantling” of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The complaint also names Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the DOE itself.
The attorneys general say the department has significant responsibilities to the American people that could be in jeopardy under President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts.
“This massive reduction in force (RIF) is equivalent to incapacitating key, statutorily-mandated functions of the Department, causing immense damage to Plaintiff States and their educational systems,” the complaint states, adding that the cuts amount to “an effective dismantling of the Department.”
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The complaint notes comments from McMahon that the cuts are a precursor to the eventual “total shutdown” of the department. Trump has called the DOE “a big con job.”
Can Trump kill it?
The department was created by—and can only be dissolved by—congressional action. That hasn’t stopped the administration from minimizing its role through layoffs and budget cuts.
Former President Ronald Reagan sought to close the Education Department. However, his attempts to get legislation passed were unsuccessful.
“As the Supreme Court put it nearly a century ago, ‘[t]o Congress under its legislative power is given the establishment of offices [and] the determination of their functions and jurisdiction,’” the complaint reads.
Who’s fired?
The complaint says the first round of layoffs resulted in more than 1,300 workers losing their jobs. Six hundred more accepted a buyout offer before the firings.
The complaint says the reduction in staff at locations like the Office of Civil Rights amounts to nullifying federal law requiring the actions of those former employees.
A spokesperson for the department told the Associated Press that Trump “was elected with a mandate from the American public to return education authority to the states,” and that personnel involved with funding for students with disabilities, student loan services and Title I funding for low-income populations weren’t laid off.
