(AURN News) — The Trump administration’s mass firings have hit the Education Department hard — hurting some of America’s most vulnerable students, who may be paying the price.
Nearly the entire staff of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which protects the rights of children with disabilities, has been laid off.
Advocates warn the move could cripple enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — the landmark guarantee that every child deserves a free, appropriate public education. More than 7 million children nationwide rely on special education funding and oversight from the office.
Civil rights protections remain on paper, but without federal staff to monitor compliance, state education agencies could go unchecked.
The layoffs, now being challenged in court, are part of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign to end the government shutdown.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
