红杏视频

WASHINGTON 鈥� The Trump administration issued an executive order today directing Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Education Department, eroding its ability to carry out the responsibilities Congress has mandated by law.

The Education Department has historically played a critical role in protecting civil rights, promoting equity, and providing opportunities for all students, including those in marginalized communities, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners. In Title VI and other federal statutes, Congress has clearly outlined the responsibilities of the Education Department for the last 45 years, and this executive order attempting to hollow out the department increases the risk of worsening discrimination in schools and reducing federal funding and oversight for historically underfunded schools, among other consequences.

In response to the executive order, Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer of the 红杏视频, issued the following statement:

鈥淥nce again, President Trump is abusing his power and putting the fundamental civil rights of millions of students at grave risk 鈥� threatening everything from racial and gender equality to the rights of disabled students. No president has the authority to single-handedly strip away the rights of children in America鈥檚 schools. This attack on the Education Department is an attack on the civil rights and liberties of students that has defined its mission for decades.

鈥淭he Education Department has a congressionally mandated duty to ensure the best education for all our children. As part of that responsibility, the department must ensure that students with disabilities can learn and thrive alongside their peers, that educational equity is upheld for children of all races, that religious freedom is protected, and that protecting against sex-based discrimination, including against LGBTQ students, remains a priority in schools nationwide. But President Trump refuses to accept this mandate. Instead, he is attempting an end-run around Congress to dismantle the Education Department itself 鈥� undermining its ability to safeguard these critical protections and weaponizing the department to carry out a deeply unpopular political agenda.鈥�