President Trump’s White House has confirmed that civil servants at the Department of Education (DOE) have been laid off as promised, following further cuts at the department.
Liberal groups and teachers’ unions say they are outraged that many of the fired staff were in the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
“Once again, the Trump administration is acting as if it has impunity to reduce the workforce of an already lean and efficient government agency. Dismantling the government through mass layoffs, especially in the ED, is not the answer to our national problems,” said Rachel Gittleman, president of American Federation of Public Employees Local 252.
While teachers’ unions may try to score political points, DOE Secretary Linda McMahon has consistently said she will take care of students with disabilities and ensure their rights are protected while ensuring they receive the educational resources guaranteed by law.
Teachers’ organizations in Florida oppose the layoffs, saying they harm people with special needs and critical funding.
In response to the tears, the Florida Education Association (FEA), the state’s largest teachers union, said the Trump administration’s move to lay off workers was nothing more than a “political stunt” that would harm the most vulnerable students.
The president of Volusia United Educators said the federal Department of Education cuts will negatively impact local school districts that receive federal funding and programs to help students with disabilities.
However, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said there would be no funding cuts for students with special needs. Instead, funding would be transferred from the federal level to state and local levels, and responsibilities would be placed on those levels.
The White House has a plan for students with special needs that could be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
