NAACP, Unions Fight President’s Education Overhaul in Court 

United States: On Monday, advocates for U.S. teacher’s unions, together with education rights groups led by the NAACP, sued President Donald Trump’s administration to stop its Education Department dismantling strategy following Trump’s recent executive order, as reported by Reuters. 

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT 

Liberals in education advocacy organized the lawsuit shortly after President Donald Trump signed an order which shifted school policy authority to state and local boards. Trump announced during his presidential campaign that he planned to eliminate educational organizations. 

The announcement marked the initial stage toward eliminating the department, according to Trump. The complete closure of the agency demands congressional action, yet President Trump does not have sufficient support to achieve it. 

The National Education Association (NEA) joined forces with other left-wing organizations to sue the Trump administration for dismantling the federal Department of Educationhttps://t.co/Z7tqRgwxEi

— Biff Smallberries (@B_Smallberries) March 24, 2025

KEY QUOTES 

The department “is charged by Congress with advancing educational opportunity and quality,” the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland said. 

“Despite Congress’s clear directives to the Department, the Trump Administration has stated numerous times, in the clearest possible terms, its intention to close this vital agency, most recently in a March 20, 2025, Executive Order,” the filing added. 

“These actions are unconstitutional and violate Congress’s directives.” 

There was no quick response from the Education Department. 

A more similar lawsuit was filed earlier this month by a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general. 

CONTEXT 

Education functions as a heated political topic throughout the United States. The education policy decisions of local governments find support from conservative voters who also advocate for choices that benefit religious and private schools but progressive voters prioritize funding public schools alongside diversity promotion. 

Trump selected his billionaire supporter Elon Musk to reduce spending and initiated changes that would dismantle certain government agencies to eliminate what he believes to be inefficient costs. 

Trump has threatened educational institutions with federal funding reductions because of their policies about diversity initiatives and transgender rights and support for Palestinian causes, as reported by Reuters. 

BY THE NUMBERS 

Through its oversight responsibilities, the department manages 100,000 public schools alongside 34,000 private educational institutions, but state and local governments supply over 85% of public school budget funding. Federal grants distributed by the department support needy schools and programs and manage student loans worth $1.6 trillion.