President Donald Trump’s agency of Education announced Tuesday that it was cutting staff by almost half, the first step toward dismantling an agency right-wing Republicans despise.
The decision is the latest to roil the US federal government in the six weeks since the president returned to the White House claiming to severely cut a flabby and ineffective bureaucracy, firing thousands of employees nationwide.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Fox News that cutting her staff five days into her job was a step in fulfilling Trump’s command last month to “put herself out of a job.”
McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, stated that the mandate to shut down the Department of Education requires collaboration with Congress.
“But what we did today was to take the first step of eliminating what I think is bureaucratic bloat.”
The agency, which oversees student loans, analyzes student achievement, and protects civil rights, shut its employees out on Tuesday.
“As part of the Department of Education’s final mission, the Department today initiated a reduction in force impacting nearly 50% of the Department’s workforce,” said a release.
Administrative leaves
Trump takes over a 4,100-person department.
Over the previous two weeks, about 600 government employees resigned or retired as part of Elon Musk’s staff reduction strategy.
The statement added that 1,300 more will be placed on administrative leave on March 21, but they will still be paid until June. No area will be spared cuts.
“All divisions within the Department are impacted by the reduction, with some divisions requiring significant reorganisation to better serve students, parents, educators, and taxpayers,” said a memo.
Statutory programs like student loans, Pell Grants, and special education funds will continue, it said.
As a candidate, Trump promised to decentralize education by giving state governments more autonomy.
The federal government has traditionally sponsored only 13% of primary and secondary schools in the US, leaving the remainder to states and local communities.
Federal support is crucial for low-income and special-needs schools. The federal government has been crucial in enforcing student civil rights.
Congress must approve closing the 1979-founded Education Department.
Democrats and opponents of the idea believe defunding and firing personnel will nullify it without House or Senate support.
President Trump was accused by former Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee chair Patty Murray of destroying the agency.
“Families desire help improving math and reading scores so their kids can succeed.
Instead, Donald Trump is destroying the Department of Education and depriving students and teachers of funding and support so Republicans can fund further enormous tax cuts for billionaires “statement.
“Fewer teachers, less accountability, less resources for students, and more chaos — it’s the last thing students and schools need, but it’s exactly what Trump is delivering.”
