School Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Education Department Dismantling

WASHINGTON — A coalition of educators, school districts, unions, and an advocacy organization for people with disabilities filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in federal court on Tuesday. They argue that the government’s recent attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education is unlawful.

The lawsuit contests the far-reaching changes announced last week by Education Secretary Linda McMahon. She signed agreements that would transfer the management of key educational functions to other federal agencies. The coalition claims that Congress’s annual appropriations law requires the Education Department to manage its programs, and asserts that McMahon lacks the authority to shift these responsibilities elsewhere.

“The information and actions coming out of the Department have been unpredictable, chaotic, and unprofessional,” the coalition stated in its lawsuit. “This experience is unprecedented in administration changes.”

Education Department officials defend McMahon’s actions, stating she has the power to transfer education functions under the Economy Act. This federal law allows government agencies to obtain supplies and services from other branches of the government.

Changes announced last week included shifting $28 billion for elementary and secondary schools, along with $3 billion for postsecondary education, to the Labor Department. Additionally, the Education Department transferred management of other programs to the Health and Human Services, Interior, and State departments.

Madi Biedermann, a spokesperson for the Education Department, suggested that the coalition’s motivations were misplaced. “It’s no surprise that blue states and unions care more about preserving the D.C. bureaucracy than about giving parents, students, and teachers more control over education,” Biedermann said in a statement.

President Donald Trump has prioritized closing the Education Department, advocating for more control at the state level. Critics point out that McMahon’s changes may hinder the goal of empowering states, claiming it could complicate matters for students and educators.

<p“Scattering Department of Education programs among agencies without education expertise will reduce the effectiveness of these programs,” said Margaret Spellings, a former Education Secretary under George W. Bush, in a social media post.

The coalition’s amended complaint is part of an ongoing lawsuit originally filed in March. The initial suit sought to stop Trump’s attempts to effectively dissolve the Education Department, which can only be closed through congressional action.

A judge in the case, Myong J. Joun, temporarily blocked the administration from laying off over 1,000 department employees while the lawsuit was pending. However, in July, the Supreme Court reversed that decision, allowing the administration to proceed with staff reductions.

The original lawsuit included the Somerville Public School Committee, the Easthampton School District, the American Federation of Teachers, AFT Massachusetts, AFSCME Council 93, the American Association of University Professors, and the Service Employees International Union. The updated coalition now includes the Arc of the United States, a disability rights organization.