Trump asks Supreme Court to Allow Education Department Firings
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Allow Education Department Firings
The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to lift a court order to reinstate U.S. Department of Education employees the administration had terminated as part of its efforts to dismantle the agency.
Officials for the administration are arguing to the high court that U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston didn’t have the authority to require the Education Department to rehire the workers. More than 1,300 employees were affected by the mass layoffs in March.
The staff reduction “effectuates the Administration’s policy of streamlining the Department and eliminating discretionary functions that, in the Administration’s view, are better left to the States,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in the filing.
A federal appeals court had refused on Wednesday to lift the judge’s ruling.
In his May 22 preliminary injunction, Joun pointed out that the staff cuts led to the closure of seven out of 12 offices tasked with the enforcement of civil rights, including protecting students from discrimination on the basis of race and disability.
Meanwhile, the entire team that supervises the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, was also eliminated, the judge said. (Around 17 million families apply for college aid each year using the form, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.)
The Education Department cannot be eliminated without approval by Congress.
The Trump administration announced its reduction in force on March 11 that would have gutted the agency’s staff.
Two days later, 21 states — including Michigan, Nevada and New York — filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its staff cuts.
After President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 20 aimed at dismantling the Education Department, more parties sued to save the department, including the American Federation of Teachers.
Former President Jimmy Carter established the current-day U.S. Department of Education in 1979. Since then, the agency has faced other existential threats, with former President Ronald Reagan calling for its end and Trump, during his first term, attempting to merge it with the Labor Department.
Trump Kicks Off America's Yearlong 250th Birthday Party
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
America Turns 249: Fireworks, Flyovers, Parades Nationwide
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
Russia Hits Kyiv with Largest Drone Attack
Jul 4, 2025
1 min
US-Iran Nuclear Talks to Restart Next Week
Jul 4, 2025
3 min
UPS Cuts 20,000 Jobs, Closes 73 Facilities
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
Trump Signs ‘Make America Beautiful Again’ Executive Order
Jul 4, 2025
1 min
Dutch Government Passes Strictest Asylum Policy in History
Jul 4, 2025
1 min
House Passes Trump BBB, Sending It to Trump's Desk
Jul 4, 2025
6 min
Trump to Host UFC Fight at WH for America250 Celebration
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
Mamdani Identified as Asian and Black on College Application
Jul 4, 2025
4 min
Supreme Court Lets Trump Deport 8 Illegal Migrants to South Sudan
Jul 4, 2025
3 min
US to Open First Rare-Earth Mine in 70+ Years
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
Trump Meets Saudi Defense Minister to Discuss Iran De-Escalation
Jul 4, 2025
1 min
‘Reservoir Dogs’ Star Michael Madsen Dies at 67
Jul 4, 2025
5 min
Chicago Mass Shooting: 4 Killed, 14 Wounded
Jul 4, 2025
2 min
House Advances 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Toward Final Vote
Jul 4, 2025
3 min
Abrego Garcia Says He Was Beaten in El Salvador Jail
Jul 3, 2025
1 min
147K Jobs Added in June, Unemployment Falls to 4.1%
Jul 4, 2025
4 min
Supreme Court to Review State Bans on Trans Athletes
Jul 3, 2025
2 min
Dr. Phil's Studio Files for Bankruptcy
Jul 3, 2025
3 min