The US Department of Education will cut 1,300 employees - another step towards Trump's plan to close it. It is a thorn in his side because it has been "overrun by radicals, fanatics and Marxists".
The US Department of Education will cut 1,300 employees, announced its head Linda McMahon. Thus, the employees of the institution, which is responsible for distributing funding to educational institutions, monitoring student grades and achievements and protecting human rights in schools, will be reduced by half.
At the beginning of the year, it had 4,133 employees. Of these, 572 agreed to be released with compensation, 63 were fired on probation, and now another 1,300 will follow.
Trump wants to close the ministry
The Ministry of Education has long been a thorn in the side of the American president and his entourage. Back during the campaign, Trump announced that he wanted to close it because it was "overrun by radicals, fanatics and Marxists". Last week, the "Wall Street Journal" reported that Trump wants to sign an executive order to dissolve the entire ministry. According to the publication, with it, the president will instruct Education Secretary McMahon to take all necessary steps to allow the institution to be closed.
Employees and experts fear that after the latest cuts, the ministry will not be able to continue to perform its functions. It became clear that leases for buildings in New York, Boston and Chicago will also be terminated.
"Today's staff reductions reflect the Department of Education's commitment to efficiency, accountability and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most - to students, parents and teachers," McMahon said in defense of the decision. The National Education Association - the largest teachers' union in the country - reacted with criticism that the changes would lead to restrictions on professional training programs and increase the cost of higher education. "The real victims will be our most vulnerable students," said union president Becky Pringle.
In line with the demands of the Parental Rights Movement
Even during the campaign, Trump said that in his opinion education should be controlled and organized at the state and local levels. He thus complied with the demands of the Parents' Rights Movement. It originated during the pandemic, when parents opposed to measures against Covid-19 declared themselves against school closures and the suspension of classes. Then the movement included protests against the discussion of racial topics, as well as topics related to gender and sexuality, in schools. According to conservative parents, these contradict the values and upbringing of children.
The Department of Education was founded in 1979 during the term of Jimmy Carter. Its dissolution will likely have to be voted on in Congress. The cuts, as well as the expected decision to close the institution, are likely to lead to a new series of lawsuits against the Trump administration.