Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court’s Help to Dismantle Education Department
Washington, D.C. – President Trump’s administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in its plan to dismantle the Department of Education, which includes laying off over 1,300 employees. This move comes amidst legal challenges from a coalition of 20 states, school districts, and teachers unions contesting the administration’s efforts.
In March, Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to facilitate the department’s closure, leading to the cancellation of various grants and the initiation of layoffs affecting roughly one-third of its workforce. Affected employees were placed on administrative leave with pay until June 9.
Judge Myong Joun of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts issued a ruling blocking the layoffs, indicating that the administration’s unilateral action violated the separation of powers as it cannot fully dissolve the department without congressional approval. He expressed concerns that such mass layoffs would cripple the department’s functions.
In response, the Justice Department requested the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit to pause Joun’s ruling, which was declined. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the district court overstepped its authority, asserting that managing workforce levels falls under executive branch jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court has previously intervened in a related education funding case, allowing the administration to cancel grants linked to diversity initiatives. The Trump administration has propelled a broader initiative to significantly reduce the federal workforce across various agencies, although a judge in San Francisco recently issued an injunction halting such layoffs.
As the administration continues to seek legal avenues to push forward with its workforce reductions, the outcome in the Supreme Court remains critical for Trump’s educational reform agenda.
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