California joined other democratically led states on Thursday, suing the Trump administration, attempting to stop large-scale layoffs in the Department of Education, and claiming face value for the illegal closure of key jobs that manage student loans, protect civil rights, and support poor districts and students with disabilities.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, California. General Rob Bonta has joined the lawyer representing the 19 Democrats and the District of Columbia. The complaint argues that the staff cuts announced this week by Education Secretary Linda McMahon is a “reckless” attempt to carry out President Trump’s desire to close the department by preventing Congress from performing the work mandated by the House.
The Trump administration began demolishing the department this week, firing about half of the agency’s employees, doing what McMahon said, and the key to the department’s “final mission” is no longer present.
“The inability of the president and his institutions to make laws is a principle of the bedrock constitution. Rather, they can only implement laws enacted by Congress, including laws that create federal agencies and determine their obligations, and in fact they must,” the lawsuit stated. “
Therefore, executives cannot completely abolish or neutralize an agency by reducing the number of personnel necessary to implement its legally mandated obligations. ”
The Ministry of Education did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The case asks the judge to order halt the layoffs. The layoffs will come into effect on March 21st. Staff cuts will reduce 2,183 workers from 4,133 in January.
Bonta filed lawsuits with lawyers in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Mainland, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts and Massachusetts.
California receives federal funding from the K-12 education department and receives programs with higher education students. The department was unclear how it would implement its funding obligations, but said this week it would continue to do work that is mandated by Congress.
California receives an estimated $16.3 billion per year in federal funding for students at K-12 schools, or about $2,750 per student. The Los Angeles Unified School District (the second-largest school system in the United States) brings federal support to $1.26 billion annually.
Not all of these dollars pass through the Ministry of Education. A large amount of federal funding for early childhood education comes from the Department of Health and Human Services, and the huge student diet program is funded by the Department of Agriculture. La Unified Alone estimates that it will receive $363 million to support students in low-income families.
Approximately 80% of LA Unified Students are eligible for Title I Funding Services, which aims to provide academic support to students from low-income and poor families. Help includes personalized instruction, small classes, after-school programs, teacher training, counseling, and family involvement. Another major funding area will support students with disabilities.
In higher education, the education sector is also processing student loans for 43 million borrowers who owe more than $1.5 trillion to the government. For example, about half of Cal State University students receive student loans, a portfolio of over $1 billion.
The department also administers the Pell Grant program, which awards more than $120 billion to 13 million students each year to help pay for higher education. Approximately $1.5 billion is set aside for Pergrants for California students per year.
There are also increasing numbers of questions about civil rights enforcement. As part of the layoffs, San Francisco has closed the local branch of the undergraduate civic office (already repeated in school-related discrimination investigations). Civil Rights Bureaus in six other regions are also scheduled to close.
Monday’s lawsuit is one of several cases filed by Bonta and Blue’s state attorney general against the Trump administration.
On March 6, California joined seven other states suing the Trump administration for cancellations of $250 million grants ($600 million nationwide) for teacher training programs funded through the education sector. The administration said the program promotes inappropriate and “schised ideology” related to diversity, equity and inclusion known as DEI. A federal judge revived the program on Monday while he reviewed the case.
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