On March 24, 2025, advocacy organizations representing millions of educators, civil rights champions, school employees, students, and families filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump Administration’s illegal attempts to dismantle the United States Department of Education. The plaintiffs include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), public school parents, The National Education Association (NEA), and AFSCME Maryland Council 3.
Since taking office, Trump Administration officials have taken an escalating series of steps to dismantle the Department, including a series of staff reductions and the termination of $1.5 billion in current contracts and grants for Congressionally-authorized programs and activities. On March 11, the Secretary instituted a Department-wide reduction in force, which, when combined with prior staff reductions, slashes the already lean Department workforce in half.
Most recently, on March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order formally instructing Secretary Linda McMahon to pursue "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States."
The lawsuit alleges that actions to dismantle the Department exceed the constitutional authority of the executive branch and violate the federal Administrative Procedure Act. It asks the court to immediately halt the government’s attempt to dismantle the Department.
The press release issued after this case was filed is available here.
News Coverage:
- Advocates sue to block attempted dismantling of US Education Department | March 25, 2025 | Reuters
- Education Department Defenders Sue to Block Trump’s Overhaul | March 24, 2025 | Bloomberg
- Teachers sue Trump: Prepare for 'enormous harm' if the Education Department is eliminated | March 24, 2025 | Business Insider
- Teachers’ union, school districts sue Trump admin over Education Department dismantling | March 24, 2025 | USA Today
- NAACP Files Lawsuit Over Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education | March 24, 2025 | CNN
- Teachers Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Push to Shut Education Dept. | March 24, 2025 | The New York Times
Case Documents: