Judge Halts Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Department of Education
Judge halts dismantling of Education Department as Massachusetts court blocks Trump’s shutdown and orders 1,300 reinstatements.
Court Cites Lack of Congressional Approval
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ruled that the administration cannot legally dismantle a federal agency without congressional approval. The decision comes after Trump’s March executive order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “facilitate the closure” of the department.
Joun wrote, “The Department cannot be shut down without Congress’s approval,” and said the administration’s claim of improving efficiency was unsupported and contradicted by their actions.
Damage to Students and Institutions is highlighted.
The judge emphasized that closing the department would cause “irreparable harm” to students, instructors, and institutions. He cited remarks made by unions, school administrators, and former employees warning of interruptions in education and lost access to necessary services.
“Before the mass firings, the Department was already struggling to meet its goals. A reduction in force of this magnitude will likely cripple the Department,” he wrote.
Trump Administration Appeals Ruling
The Trump administration immediately filed an appeal. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields claimed the administration has full authority to reorganize the agency, stating, “A leftist judge’s ruling cannot change that reality.”
Education Department spokesperson Madi Biedermann called the ruling a “dramatic overstep” and insisted it was not in the best interest of American families.
Unions Celebrate Legal Victory
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and one of the plaintiffs, praised the ruling. “This decision is a first step to reverse this war on knowledge and the undermining of broad-based opportunity,” she said.
The judge also blocked Trump’s plan to transfer management of federal student loans and special education away from the department.
Source: NBC News
