Education Department layoffs WASHINGTON – Laid-off workers said tearful goodbyes outside the U.S. Department of Education on Friday, mourning the loss of their beloved jobs. President Donald Trump’s executive order triggered mass layoffs, cutting the department’s workforce in half and leaving thousands uncertain about their jobs.
They Can’t Take Away What We Did
Supporters cheered and held signs as longtime employees Nikki Churchwell and Sarah Newman left the department’s headquarters for the last time. Churchwell, a former teacher, spent nearly 10 years serving the federal agency.
“They can’t take away what we did,” one supporter yelled as Churchwell carried out her belongings.
Trump’s aggressive efforts to reduce the federal government’s role in education have resulted in abrupt terminations. Offices critical to student loan management, school funding, and educational research now operate with skeletal staff.
Legal Battles on the Horizon
While Trump’s executive order slashed jobs, closing the Department of Education entirely would require congressional approval. Former employees have already filed lawsuits, arguing the layoffs are illegal and jeopardize the nation’s education system.
‘It’s Not Possible to Maintain Service’
Bradley Custer, a former worker in the Federal Student Aid office, criticized the department’s claim that students wouldn’t feel the impact.
“The department is doing everything it can to gaslight the American people,” Custer said. Maintaining the same level of service becomes impossible with half the employees gone.
Lingering Uncertainty
Some former staff members remain hopeful that lawsuits will reinstate them. However, others like Newman, who served for 13 years in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, are unsure they would return.
“I feel like hope is a dangerous thing right now,” Newman said through tears.
As legal battles proceed, thousands of workers are left searching for new opportunities in an uncertain job market.
Source: USA Today
