Wisconsin joins lawsuit over education department cuts
Wisconsin Capitol, Madison
MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin joined a coalition of states on Thursday, suing the Trump administration to "stop the dismantling" of the U.S. Department of Education.
Education cuts
The backstory:
The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday announced the cuts, impacting more than 1,300 of its employees – nearly 50% of its staff. Included in the cuts are nearly 600 employees who accepted the voluntary resignation offer and retirement over the last seven weeks, the agency said. The Education Department’s staff will now sit at roughly half of its previous 4,100.
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Big picture view:
Officials with the Education Department said it would continue to deliver on its key functions, such as the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan management and oversight of Pell Grants. But Democrats and advocates have raised concerns that the layoffs will ultimately impact America’s students.
In addition to Kaul in Wisconsin, the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Vermont, and the District of Columbia have joined the lawsuit.
Education Department lays off nearly 50% of its staff: What to know
The Education Department is laying off nearly 50% of its staff, raising questions about the agency’s ability to continue usual operations.
Wisconsin joins lawsuit
Local perspective:
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said the lawsuit seeks to "stop the targeted destruction of this critical federal agency that ensures tens of millions of students receive a quality education and critical resources."
The lawsuit further claims the actions to dismantle the Department of Education are illegal and unconstitutional, arguing the executive brand does not have legal authority to "incapacitate or dismantle" the department without an act of Congress.
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What they're saying:
"The Department of Education provides numerous services that support students," Kaul said in a statement. "Cutting those services is deeply unfair to students in Wisconsin and across the country. Their futures should be prioritized over tax cuts for billionaires."
"Doing what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state, and this decision will be a disaster for our kids and their futures," Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement. "Here in Wisconsin, where schools are already going to referendum every couple of years to keep their lights on and doors open due to years of attacks on our schools at the state level, gutting the Department of Education and funding for our public schools will make things even worse – it will make it harder to improve outcomes, class sizes will get even bigger, educators and staff could lose their jobs, and schools may be forced to close their doors for good."
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul
The other side:
In a prepared statement with Tuesday's announcement, Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the layoffs a reflection of the agency's "commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers."
"This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system," she added.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Gov. Tony Evers, and previous LiveNOW from FOX reports.