In a big shake-up, the U.S. Education Department has laid off 1,300 employees this month, and civil rights attorneys handling discrimination cases in New Jersey schools are among those affected. This decision, made by the Trump administration, has sparked concern and even legal action.
Attorney General Matt Platkin is not staying silent. He has filed a lawsuit, joining forces with attorneys general from other states to try to block these layoffs. According to Platkin’s lawsuit, seven out of the twelve regional offices under the department’s Office for Civil Rights have been shut down. One of them is the New York office, which takes care of cases from New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Interestingly, no official statements have been made by either former President Donald Trump or Education Secretary Linda McMahon about these layoffs. The Trump administration also did not respond to media requests for comments.
Instead, all the information available so far comes from indirect sources, press releases, and a statement from McMahon sent through a separate email, hinting at the layoffs. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is managing staff cuts across the federal government. They’ve promised transparency, but their website gives no details about the Education Department’s staff cuts, particularly in the New York regional office.
Which Departments Faced the Hardest Hit?
Two key departments felt the brunt:
- Office for Civil Rights (OCR): This office plays a vital role in protecting students against discrimination and harassment in schools and colleges. They handle cases related to racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and ensuring disabled students receive their rightful services under U.S. law.
- Institute of Education Sciences (IES): This is the department’s statistical wing, responsible for collecting long-term data on American students’ academic performance.
A Washington-based think tank, Education Reform Now, released data showing that these two departments lost a significant portion of their total full-time employees.
Why Is This So Important for New Jersey?
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- As of September 2024, 48 federal Education Department employees were working in New Jersey.
- Out of these, 15 were attorneys.
- At least 18 employees worked in federal student aid offices.
This information comes from federal employment data obtained by the USA TODAY Network, using raw numbers from the Office of Personnel Management.
The good news? Employees working for the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will not lose their jobs due to these federal layoffs. NJDOE spokesperson Laura Fredrick clarified this, stating that although New Jersey relies on some federal funding, the federal government does not have the authority to fire state employees.
However, Fredrick admitted that New Jersey education officials have been left in the dark. They have only received limited details from press releases, making it hard to figure out exactly how these changes will affect students and the state’s education system. She assured that NJDOE will keep monitoring the situation and continue to focus on providing quality education to every student in New Jersey.
Loss of Talented Civil Rights Lawyers Worries Experts
One person particularly upset about the layoffs is Robert Kim, executive director of the Newark-based Education Law Center. He testified in Congress recently, opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the Education Department.
Kim described the civil rights attorneys as some of the most talented and dedicated professionals. Many of them chose government service over more profitable private-sector jobs because they believe strongly in civil rights, fighting against racial discrimination, and ensuring students with disabilities get the services they deserve.
“These are among the most altruistic people you can imagine,” Kim said.
Bigger Picture: Is This Linked to Project 2025?
Experts like Kim believe the layoffs are part of a bigger plan tied to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which aims to radically reshape U.S. schools. The idea is to reduce the federal government’s role in education, shifting more power to states and parents.
A few key points of Project 2025:
- Turning Title 1 grants (funds for low-income students) and IDEA funding (support for disabled students) into block grants over ten years.
- Closing the federal Education Department or at least reducing its size.
This would shift decision-making to local levels but might also risk cutting essential services and funds for the most vulnerable students. While federal funding makes up less than 10% of state education budgets, it still plays a crucial role in supporting schools that need it the most.
Heritage Foundation’s education policy director, Lindsay Burke, also spoke in favor of eliminating the Education Department during her testimony to Congress. She argued that parents should have more control over academic standards, suggesting that the government’s involvement is unnecessary and inefficient.
A Shrinking Workforce Amid Rising Complaints
Kim pointed out a concerning fact—while the number of complaints about civil rights violations in schools has increased dramatically, the number of staff handling these complaints has steadily declined over the years:
- 1981: Nearly 1,100 staff members in the civil rights office.
- 2023: Only 556 staff members, even though complaints increased from under 3,000 to over 19,000 in the same period.
Kim stressed that cutting down more staff at a time when discrimination cases are rising could leave students vulnerable and without proper protection.
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