Teachers Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Push to Shut Education Dept.

On Monday, the Trump administration’s initiative to dismantle the Department of Education encountered legal opposition as critics claimed the move was an attempt to bypass congressional authority.

A lawsuit was filed in a Massachusetts federal court by the American Federation of Teachers, the American Association of University Professors, and two public school districts in the state. Meanwhile, within a few hours, another case emerged in a Maryland federal court, led by the NAACP, the National Education Association (NEA), and additional opponents of the plan.

These legal challenges surfaced just four days after President Trump signed an executive order instructing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the department.”

The following day, Trump announced that the Small Business Administration would assume responsibility for managing the federal government’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, while the Department of Health and Human Services would take charge of nutrition programs and special education services.

Established in 1979, the Department of Education cannot be dissolved without congressional approval. The Massachusetts lawsuit contends that the administration’s actions since assuming office in January—including efforts to significantly reduce the department’s workforce—jeopardize its ability to fulfill its legally mandated responsibilities.

Ilana Krepchin, chairwoman of the Somerville, Massachusetts, school committee and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, emphasized the department’s essential role in ensuring equitable public education.

“Dismantling it would have profound negative effects—not just on our students and schools, but on communities nationwide,” she asserted.

In response, Education Department spokeswoman Madi Biedermann reassured that all federally mandated programs would remain intact and that the administration intended to collaborate with Congress to finalize the department’s closure.

“Rather than focusing on facts and offering constructive proposals to enhance student outcomes, the union continues to mislead the American public in an effort to maintain its grip on the education system,” Biedermann stated, referring to the American Federation of Teachers.

Key Republican figures, including Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, have expressed support for Trump’s initiative. Certain conservative organizations have also endorsed the plan. However, lawmakers are expected to face considerable pressure from both sides before any formal vote occurs.

Charles L. Welch, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, voiced strong opposition to Trump’s executive order, urging lawmakers to resist the administration’s efforts and advocate for preserving the department.

While the Department of Education does not dictate classroom curricula, its primary functions include allocating federal funding to schools, enforcing civil rights regulations, and managing financial aid for college students. Additionally, it has historically played a pivotal role in data collection and funding educational research.

It remains uncertain when or if legislation to dismantle or restructure the department will be put to a congressional vote.

In the Maryland lawsuit, the NAACP and NEA—America’s largest teachers’ union—asserted that the administration’s actions over the past two months effectively constituted “a de facto dismantling of the department through executive authority.”

Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network, which is representing the NEA in the case, stated, “Donald Trump’s own education secretary has admitted that legally, they cannot shut down the Department of Education without Congress.”

“Yet, in practice, that is precisely what they are doing,” Ament continued. “This blatant violation of the law will disrupt the lives of countless students and families.”

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson accused Trump of more than just attempting to downsize a federal agency.

“Education is a source of empowerment,” Johnson declared. “What he is doing goes beyond bureaucratic restructuring—he is actively destroying a pathway that many Americans rely on for a better future.”

The Maryland lawsuit’s plaintiffs have urged a federal judge to block the Education Department and McMahon from proceeding with the dismantling process and implementing the March 20 executive order.

In an unrelated Maryland case concerning privacy, a federal judge ruled on Monday that the Education Department could not transfer sensitive student data to the Department of Government Efficiency, an agency led by Elon Musk.