Trump’s Bid to Ax Education Department Faces Fierce Opposition

🚨 Trump's Education Department showdown

In a controversial move that has sparked legal battles and national debate, President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to approve its sweeping plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The request comes just weeks after a federal judge blocked Trump’s efforts to lay off thousands of Education Department employees and transfer its responsibilities elsewhere.

👉 Background: A Long-Running Conservative Goal

The Department of Education, created by Congress in 1979, oversees crucial federal funding and programs for schools nationwide — including grants for low-income schools, special education support, arts programs, and school infrastructure improvements. It also supervises the massive $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio that helps tens of millions of Americans afford college.

Trump’s push to shut down the department has long been a priority for many conservatives, who argue that education policy should be left to states and local school boards. His supporters see the move as part of a broader effort to shrink the federal government’s role in people’s lives. 🎯

💼 The Legal Showdown

But critics — including attorneys general from 20 states, school districts, and teachers’ unions — have filed lawsuits arguing that Trump’s plan would violate federal law and leave critical education programs in disarray. They say the administration’s job cuts would prevent the department from performing its legally required functions, including enforcing civil rights protections in schools.

On May 22, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ruled against the Trump administration. He ordered it to reinstate laid-off workers and stop transferring department responsibilities to other federal agencies. In his decision, Joun said Trump’s actions would effectively turn the department into an “empty shell,” bypassing Congress’s authority and undermining key education programs. 🏛️

“This court cannot be asked to cover its eyes while the department’s employees are continuously fired and units are transferred out until the department becomes a shell of itself,” Joun wrote.

🌐 The Supreme Court Appeal

Not backing down, the Justice Department is now urging the Supreme Court to intervene. In a filing on Friday, government lawyers argued that Joun’s ruling improperly interferes with the executive branch’s internal management decisions.

“The government has been crystal clear in acknowledging that only Congress can eliminate the Department of Education,” the Justice Department stated. It added that the administration was retaining enough staff to perform essential tasks — though critics question how those tasks can be fulfilled with so many job cuts.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals already declined to pause Judge Joun’s injunction on June 4, marking a significant setback for Trump’s plans. Still, the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to hear the case will determine the future of the Education Department — and whether Trump’s vision to hand education policy over to states and local boards will be realized. 📚

🔎 Trump’s Executive Orders and Mass Layoffs

Trump signed an executive order on March 20 — with children and teachers gathered at the White House — calling for the department to be dismantled. “Today’s executive order is the first step to eliminate the Department of Education and return power to local communities,” Trump said at the time.

Earlier, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced plans for mass layoffs that would slash the department’s workforce by nearly half — from 4,133 employees when Trump took office to just over 2,100. The department described this downsizing as its “final mission.”

The administration also planned to transfer key responsibilities:

• Student loans would be handed over to the Small Business Administration.

• Special education, nutrition, and related services would move to the Department of Health and Human Services — itself facing major staffing cuts.

Critics warn these transfers would further destabilize essential programs that millions of students and families rely on.

🛑 Opposition from States and Advocates

State attorneys general, school districts, and teachers’ unions argue the administration’s moves are unconstitutional. They say only Congress has the power to eliminate the department or change how it carries out federal education law.

Moreover, they argue the mass layoffs would gut the department’s ability to enforce civil rights in schools — from fighting discrimination to supporting students with disabilities. Such oversight, they say, can’t simply be shifted to other agencies already stretched thin by their own budget cuts.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields dismissed Judge Joun’s ruling as “misguided,” but the administration now faces a tough legal battle in the highest court of the land. 🏛️⚖️

👀 What’s Next?

As the Supreme Court weighs whether to hear the administration’s appeal, the fate of federal education policy in the U.S. hangs in the balance. If the court sides with Trump, the Education Department’s nearly half-century-old mission to support schools across the country could come to an end — a major shift in how America funds and oversees its public education system. 📚✏️