The Supreme Court Gives Green Light for Cuts to Dept of Ed

The Dept of Ed is a federal agency that oversees education policy and distributes federal funds to states for programs students utilize and need. It ensures an equal education for everyone by supporting state and local education agencies. It directs funding to schools K-12, for aftercare, summer programs and more. It enforces anti-discriminatory laws, and ensures the disability education act, IDEA.

In a ruling of 6-3, Monday, SCOTUS paused an order from a US district judge, who issued a preliminary injunction reversing the Trump admin’s layoff of 1,400 dept of ed employees.

“The layoffs will cripple the dept,” the Boston Judge wrote.

Monday might Trump posted on his social media platform: “This has landed a major victory to parents and students across the country… Now with this GREAT Supreme Court decision our Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon may begin this very important process.” Linda McMahon, cofounder and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, chairs the pro-Trump super-pac and America First Action, does not have an education background, and called the ruling “a win for students and families.”

Also on Monday, over twenty states sued the Trump admin over billions in frozen educational funds needed for aftercare, summer programs and more.

Judge Sotomayor wrote: “The department is responsible for providing critical funding and services to millions of students and scores of schools across the country. Lifting the district court’s injunction will unleash untold harm, delaying and denying education opportunities and leaving students to suffer discrimination, sexual assault, and other civil rights violations without the federal resources Congress intended.”

The National Education Association, the nation’s largest professional employee organization, slammed the Court’s ruling. Becky Pringle, president, stated: “Everyone who cares about America’s students and public schools should be appalled by the Supreme Court’s premature intervention in this case. Today’s decision does not resolve the underlying merits of Trump’s unlawful plan to eliminate the Dept of Ed.”

Under law the dismantling of a federal agency requires an act of congress. Last year the House rejected an amendment to a bill to eliminate the Dept of Ed. More than 60 Republicans voted against it.

From an article in NEA today here are the programs that will be affected:

Money directed to schools in low-income areas would be turned into block grants and given to states with no accountability. From an analysis by the Center of American Progress, 180,000 teaching positions could be lost affecting 2.8 million students.

7.5 million students receive special ed under IDEA; this program could be transferred to another agency, thus not guaranteeing these services.

The WH can move the Ed Dept of Civil Rights to the Dept of Justice, raising concerns about potential politicalization and reduced resources for protecting students’ rights.

Pell Grants, Federal Student Loans, utilized by 30% of college students, could be lost or privatized, leaving students with fewer or no options in funding a higher education.

These are just a few examples of the negative effects that could be caused by the dismantling of the Dept of Ed. And it’s important for all of us, regardless of political preference, to understand the ramifications these cuts will have to our schools, our students and our country.

Sources from: CNN, AP News, NEA, NPR, and Fox.