Teachers Union and NAACP Unite to Challenge Trump’s Education Department Assault

A coalition of advocacy and labor groups announced plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding its efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The National Education Association, NAACP, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland Council 3, along with public school parents, are set to request an immediate halt to the administration’s initiatives.

Simultaneously, the American Federation of Teachers, alongside its Massachusetts chapter, AFSCME Council 93, the American Association of University Professors, and the Service Employees International Union, has initiated legal action in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts against the executive order and the recent layoffs within the department.

Last week, President Donald Trump directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take steps necessary for the closure of the department, an action Congress alone can legally authorize. He subsequently announced that key functions, such as managing the student loan portfolio and special education services, would be transferred to the Small Business Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, respectively.

In a statement, NEA President Becky Pringle emphasized the detrimental impacts of dismantling the department, warning it could exacerbate class sizes, reduce job training opportunities, limit access to higher education, and eliminate special education services for students with disabilities. “This will widen the gaps in education,” Pringle stated, highlighting the coalition’s commitment to protect students’ futures.

Since Trump took office, the department has experienced significant changes, including mass layoffs, contract reductions, and staff buyouts. Earlier this month, the agency announced plans to cut over 1,300 employees, raising concerns about its ability to fulfill essential responsibilities. In response, a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit to prevent the administration from proceeding with these layoffs and dismantling efforts.

Trump’s principal deputy press secretary, Harrison Fields, criticized the NEA and NAACP for failing to enhance educational outcomes, citing recent National Assessment of Educational Progress scores showing declines in math and reading for fourth and eighth graders compared to pre-pandemic levels. He urged these groups to collaborate with the administration instead of resorting to what he termed baseless lawsuits.

The Education Department has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding this ongoing situation.