Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a coalition of 21 attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to prevent significant workforce cuts at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), arguing that the move would disrupt essential educational services. The lawsuit contends that the administration lacks the legal authority to dismantle the department without congressional approval and warns of negative impacts on students, particularly those with disabilities and financial aid recipients.
Per the news release distributed Thursday, March 13: “Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED). On March 11, the Trump administration announced plans to fire approximately 50 percent of ED’s workforce as part of its goal of a “total shutdown” of the department. Attorney General Brown and the coalition filed a lawsuit to prevent the targeted destruction of this federal agency, which provides essential educational resources and services to millions of students nationwide.
“President Trump’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education threatens to strip Maryland schools of critical resources, leading to larger class sizes, fewer services for students with disabilities, and deepening inequities between well-funded and struggling districts. The impacts wouldn’t just affect grade school students; young adults may not be able to pay for college with federal student loans and grants, forcing them to change their hopes and dreams,” said Attorney General Brown. “My Office is taking legal action because every Maryland student—no matter their zip code—deserves a quality education, and we will not allow the federal government to abandon its duty to our children.”
The Department of Education serves nearly 18,200 school districts and over 50 million K-12 students attending roughly 98,000 public schools and 32,000 private schools nationwide. Its higher education programs provide services and support to more than 12 million postsecondary students annually. Many of the department’s programs specifically benefit students with disabilities and students from low-income families by funding assistive technology, teacher salaries, transportation, and specialized services such as speech and physical therapy. The ED also provides vital support to rural school districts, which often lack the personnel and resources needed to compete for grants.
As outlined in the lawsuit, dismantling ED would have devastating effects on states, including Maryland. The proposed layoffs are so extensive that the department would be unable to perform essential functions. The lawsuit argues that the administration’s actions would deprive students with special needs of critical resources, weaken ED’s Office of Civil Rights—which protects students from discrimination and sexual assault—and hinder the processing of financial aid, making it harder for students to access loans, Pell Grants, and work-study programs.
Attorney General Brown and the coalition are seeking a court order to stop the administration from drastically cutting ED’s workforce and programs. They argue that the administration’s actions are illegal and unconstitutional, as the Department of Education is an executive agency authorized by Congress, and its programs and funding streams are established by law. The lawsuit contends that the Executive Branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally dismantle the department without congressional approval.
In filing the lawsuit, Attorney General Brown joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and Vermont.”