June 16, 2025
As the Supreme Court deliberates on whether to permit the current administration to carry out extensive layoffs within the Education Department, a coalition comprising various states, public school districts, and teachers’ unions has presented arguments in court, urging the justices to maintain the lower court’s injunction.
This injunction has effectively stalled the department’s plans to transfer career education programs to the Labor Department and has mandated the reinstatement of over 1,400 employees who were previously laid off.
One coalition group expressed in their legal filing, “If the dismantling of the department proceeds at this juncture, and if the Respondents ultimately succeed in this case, reversing the damage inflicted will be nearly impossible.” They further noted, “Conversely, if the government prevails, it can implement its plans with only a minor delay.”
A district judge determined that the layoffs, along with the executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at dismantling the agency, inflicted irreparable harm on the plaintiffs, which include a public school district and several states led by Democrats. Judge Myong Joun indicated that the evidence suggested the administration’s true aim was to effectively dismantle the Department without proper legislative authorization. An appeals court upheld Joun’s ruling, leading the administration to seek urgent relief from the Supreme Court.
The administration contends that the courts do not have the authority to question the Executive’s internal management decisions and has dismissed claims that the layoffs hindered the department’s ability to meet its statutory obligations.
In their response, the states highlighted that the layoffs resulted in the near-total elimination of staff responsible for reviewing applications from colleges and universities for federal student aid certification or recertification.
“The petitioners have not clarified how the Department can continue to conduct timely certification reviews without any staff, and disruptions in federal certification have already affected public colleges and universities’ ability to achieve enrollment targets and offer academic programs,” the states asserted.
The Supreme Court has previously addressed a challenge regarding recent actions taken by the Education Department, allowing the agency to proceed with cuts to teacher-preparation grants.
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