The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that President Donald Trump can continue with his plan to dismantle the Education Department. This decision marks a significant win for the Trump administration, as the court voted 6-3 along ideological lines to block a lower court’s order that would have reinstated around 1,400 employees who were laid off earlier this year.
In March, Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Education Department, fulfilling a key promise from his campaign to enhance parental rights and improve academic results nationwide. Following this, Education Secretary Linda McMahon laid off nearly half of the department’s workforce.
The administration faced two lawsuits challenging these layoffs—one from Massachusetts school districts and the American Federation of Teachers, and another from 21 Democratic attorneys general. In May, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a ruling that temporarily blocked the layoffs, stating that the fired employees should be allowed to return. However, that ruling is now on hold while the legal battle continues, allowing the administration to proceed with the layoffs for the time being.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion, criticizing the majority for what she called an “indefensible” decision. She argued that Trump is attempting to shut down the department without the necessary approval from Congress. Sotomayor emphasized that if the Executive Branch openly declares its intention to violate the law, it is the Judiciary’s responsibility to intervene, not to support that violation.
To fully eliminate the Education Department, Trump would require congressional approval. His executive order, however, seeks to weaken the department’s functions as much as possible in the interim. Sotomayor warned that the implications of this ruling pose a serious threat to the separation of powers outlined in the Constitution.
The dissent was joined by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan. Trump, prior to signing the order, expressed confidence that returning education responsibilities to the states would be a popular and sensible move.
Critics of the Education Department argue that, despite its substantial budget of $80 billion, it has limited influence over school curricula, which are primarily determined at state and local levels. The department allocates funds for programs like Title I for low-income school districts and special education, while also enforcing civil rights laws and overseeing federal student loans.
Under Trump’s leadership, the Education Department has also cut over $600 million in grants for teacher training programs focused on what the administration labels “divisive ideologies,” including social justice and anti-racism initiatives.
The push to dismantle the department comes amid rising frustration among parents regarding public schools. During the pandemic, many parents demanded that schools reopen and expressed concerns about various policies, including mask mandates and the handling of students’ gender identity. The situation has led to heightened scrutiny of educational practices and ideologies, particularly around topics like Critical Race Theory.
