Protest Against Trump In Newark: ‘No School Cuts,’ Educators Demand

NEWARK, NJ — It’s a “wrecking ball” that is being aimed at public schools, advocates say.

On Tuesday, several elected officials, union leaders and education advocates gathered in Newark to protest the Trump Administration’s reported plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

The demonstration took place outside the New Jersey Regional Day School on Lyons Avenue. It was spearheaded by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) New Jersey, which represents more than 30,000 education workers, and the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, which is New Jersey’s largest union of registered nurses and health care professionals.

According to activists, the Garden State usually receives around $1 billion in federal funding every year for education. About half of that money is used for such programs as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

“President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are swinging a wrecking ball at public education, and we are just as troubled by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) rifling through private personal data,” AFTNJ president Jennifer Higgins said.

“Now is the time for New Jersey residents to speak up and fight to preserve vital federal resources for our students and public schools,” Higgins urged.

Trump’s return to the Oval Office and the controversial rise of DOGE have seen both cheers and jeers as the administration continues to gut federal funding across the nation. Read More: Bringing DOGE To NJ Proposed By Lawmakers

Several government departments and agencies have been reporting major cuts and layoffs, with the U.S. Department of Education reportedly among those facing elimination. See Related: House Budget Bill Could Slash Medicaid (How NJ Reps Voted)

It’s worth noting that Trump lacks the full authority to close the Department of Education; most of its spending — and its very existence — is ordered by Congress. Regardless, the president has directed his administration to slash spending at the DOE, which could impact several important funding sources for New Jersey schools. Read More: How NJ Could Be Affected By Plan To Dismantle Education Department

Trump has made trimming “woke” ideology from the federal budget one of his priorities since his inauguration. The White House has announced plans to put a blanket pause on federal grants and loans, including those that have already been approved.

Officials say the freeze is needed to ensure that funding complies with Trump’s recent executive orders, including declarations involving transgender rights, environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Musk has insisted that the "temporarily disruptive" efforts to trim the federal budget are paying off for Americans – although many people have questioned his claims.

The Trump Administration’s efforts have hit roadblocks in the courts, however.

Two federal judges recently extended a temporary blocks on the freeze. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to reject the Trump administration’s request to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen.

Meanwhile, many nonprofits continue to report that their funding has remained frozen – or been cut entirely.

PROTEST IN NEWARK

At Tuesday’s rally in Newark, advocates had a common message: “Don’t make cuts to education.”

Some speakers acknowledged that Trump and JD Vance earned the popular vote last election – but added that it doesn’t give them an excuse to do whatever they want.

“The American people did not vote for chaotic and reckless attacks on our children and public schools,” Newark Teachers Union president John Abeigon said.

“Students, parents and educators in our communities need all of us to stand up and show we’re on the side of kids,” he added.

Newark NAACP president Deborah Smith Gregory warned that cutting funding for education will “hurt our children.”

“We have to take a stand and push against the co-president, Elon Musk,” Gregory insisted. “Let him take his SpaceX on up to Mars and leave us alone.”

Other community leaders who spoke out against the funding cuts on Tuesday include:

Newark mayor Ras Baraka – “Democracy isn’t just about freedom. It’s also about access and opportunity. … We need to do what we can to support the folks here, the organizations here, and make sure the funding remains solid and stationary.”

Newark Board of Education president Hasani Council – “Cuts in federal funding could have a significant consequence and would set our students back for decades. A lot of our students are already not on an equal playing field, as other districts cannot be compared to ours. Our students deserve the best, and we will fight for them until hell freezes over. And then, we will fight on the ice.”

Education Law Center research director Danielle Farrie – “Not only does sufficient school funding improve student achievement and performance, but high school graduation rates and college attendance go up, adult wages go up, life expectancy increases, and adult poverty and contact with the criminal justice system goes down. There’s no serious disagreement about this among the experts who study it, and this is what makes the Trump Administration’s threats to withhold support from the nation’s public schools so absurd.”

Bob Russo, the former mayor of Montclair and AFT adjunct faculty union treasurer at Montclair State University, also attended the rally.

“I echo all the AFT and NTU leaders and the Newark mayor, who said federal cuts are bad for our public schools,” Russo told Patch. “I also believe the Education Department dismantling will be damaging to our students in Newark, Montclair and MSU, and colleges all over New Jersey.”

• See Related: NJ Dems Rally Against Trump Funding Freeze In Essex County
• See Related: NJ Nonprofit Will End Fair Housing Program Due To Trump Cuts

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