The U.S. Supreme Court has granted permission to President Donald Trump’s administration to shut down the Department of Education. In a divided ruling, the court allowed the process to resume.
According to a report by TRT World on Tuesday (July 15), Republican-appointed justices hold the majority in the Supreme Court. On Monday (local time), the court issued a brief, unsigned order lifting a previous injunction against the department’s closure. That injunction had been imposed by a federal district judge.
That same judge had also ordered a halt to mass layoffs within the department. However, three of the nine justices — all liberals — dissented from the ruling.
Earlier, upon returning to the White House for his second term, Trump had declared, “We are returning education to the states, where it rightfully belongs.”
In March, he announced plans to lay off nearly half of the department’s workforce. Around the same time, he issued an executive order instructing the department to shut down as much as legally possible. The Department of Education was originally established by a 1979 act of the U.S. Congress.
In response, 20 U.S. states and various teachers’ unions jointly sued the administration. They argued that dissolving a constitutionally established agency without Congressional approval violates the principle of separation of powers.
Later, in May, Judge Myung ordered that hundreds of laid-off employees be reinstated. However, the Supreme Court overturned that decision, giving the Trump administration the green light to restart the layoff process.
Only about 13% of funding for primary and secondary education in the U.S. comes from the federal government. The remaining funding is provided by state and local authorities. Nevertheless, this federal funding plays a crucial role in supporting poor districts, special needs students, and protecting student rights.
Upon returning to power, Trump ordered his administration to reduce government spending. Under his leadership, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has undertaken extensive plans for layoffs and downsizing federal agencies.
