As the government shutdown continues, the consequences continue to intensify based on the Trump administration’s firing of 466 Department of Education employees on October 10, according to the Associated Press. The AP states the firing could destabilize students and schools in areas from special education to civil rights enforcement to after-school programs.
Unions have taken action against the Trump layoffs with the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), suing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Sept. 30 via Straight Arrow News.
The outlet breaks down how the two unions wrote that the threat of layoffs violates current laws and practices for how a shutdown should be handled.
“Despite extensive efforts to minimize impact on employees and programs during the ongoing government shutdown, the continued lapse in funding has made it necessary to implement the RIF (reduction in force),” says an internal memo shared with CNN.
The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) stated the layoffs have only left two senior staffers on programs, and one person for rehabilitation services, and said in a statement it is “confused and concerned by these staffing decisions.”
The AP also reported that the Office for Civil Rights, which investigates complaints of discrimination at the nation’s schools and universities, has experienced an unknown number of employees being fired.
Sasha Pudelski, director of advocacy for the American Association of School Administrators, tells the AP that, “Without staff overseeing funding for high-poverty schools or special education, schools may face delays in receiving reimbursement from the federal government.”
PBS reported on Wednesday, October 16, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a post on social media, the federal shutdown offers proof that the shutdown is not affecting the everyday lives of kids and educators.
“Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal,” says McMahon.
