A lawsuit filed Friday alleges that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can no longer fulfill its legal obligations due to the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the department.
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and two parents filed the suit in Washington, D.C., just days after the Education Department announced mass layoffs, cutting its workforce by half. The lawsuit claims Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor are violating the Fifth Amendment by eliminating OCR’s capacity to investigate complaints.
The plaintiffs argue that the layoffs, including the closure of seven out of twelve regional OCR offices, have left discrimination complaints unaddressed and students without protections. While the department insists that core functions will continue, the lawsuit contends civil rights enforcement has been severely weakened.
This follows another lawsuit from multiple Democratic states, challenging the Education Department’s 1,300 layoffs. Meanwhile, Trump allies are pushing to transfer remaining programs to other federal agencies before dismantling the department entirely.
Sources
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