EdLoC’s Response to the Sudden Mass Layoff at U.S. ED
The Department of Education (ED), under the direction of Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, enacted a reduction in force (RIF) to lay off approximately 50% of its workforce today. This dismantling of ED under the guise of layoffs is a direct attack on America’s public schools, students, and teachers. And it’s something Americans simply don’t want. According to a recent Marist poll, 63% of Americans oppose eliminating the ED, including 64% of Independents.
Let’s be clear: No matter what this administration says, a Department of Education with just half its staff cannot do the job that Congress and the American people have mandated it to do. It’s time for all of us in this Network to demand that our representatives are transparent about the impact of these cuts, and that they protect every student’s right to have an equitable education. Families deserve to see a clear plan outlining how programs and services will continue to operate at full capacity moving forward. It is essential that practitioners—including teachers, students, parents, and principals—are actively involved in the development of this plan, as they possess the firsthand knowledge and experience needed to ensure the federal partnership functions effectively.
As a Network, we must talk about these real-world impacts of dismantling the ED from within. In messages to our Members of Congress and on our personal social media channels and conversations with family and friends, let’s let people know what’s at stake for the young people and communities we cherish.
Downsizing the ED will lead to inefficiencies and lack of oversight that jeopardize programs critical to student success in school and in life.
This includes programs like FAFSA that students depend on to attend college, or the 7.4 million students with disabilities served by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensures those students get the learning services they require. Additionally, there are 26 million students from low-income backgrounds in urban, rural, and suburban communities, many of them students of color, who rely on federal Title I funding.
While we are enraged by this latest attack on public education—we knew this administration would deliver on their threats to eliminate the opportunity of a quality education for all. For this Network, the fight for education rooted in multiracial solidarity has always been ours, and we will not stop until we have won.
As education leaders, we know about the critical real-world impact of our public schools. They are places of shelter during natural disasters. They are where students are guaranteed a meal and can access healthcare, sports, tutoring, and other resources that help keep them safe and on the path to success. Public schools are the only places designed and required to meet the needs of every student.
Look out for a Congressional recess advocacy toolkit later this week to help you take concrete action in this ongoing fight for equal, high-quality resources for our public schools.
In Solidarity,
Angelica Solis