Department of Education Mass Firing will Destroy Public Schools that Support Students of Color, LGBTQIA+ students, and Students with Disabilities

March 11, 2025

Washington, DC – In response to news of the mass firing of Department of Education staff, Advancement Project executive director Judith Browne Dianis issued this statement:

“The mass firing of Department of Education staff is a backdoor attempt to eliminate the Department of Education. These firings will rob under-resourced school districts of the resources they need to serve Black, Latine, and Indigenous children, protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ students, ensure safety and language access for immigrant students, and keep crucial resources for young people with disabilities.

Public education is foundational to our multiracial democracy. Congress created the Department of Education to increase learning opportunities for students who had been denied such opportunities for too long. For decades, the Department has ensured discrimination does not deprive students of educational opportunities, provided much needed funding to schools attended by low-income children and families, and supported programs to train high-quality teachers across the country.

These actions cost not only the thousands of workers fired, but also the millions of public school children who relied on their work. These actions are also legally questionable at best. We must act to protect the decades of progress toward educational equity that the Department made possible.

We call on members of Congress to use their oversight powers to challenge these actions. We also call on governors and attorney generals to bring legal challenges and work with school districts and families to address the gaps created by the termination of federal staff and resources.”

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Advancement Project is a next-generation, multi-racial civil rights organization. Rooted in the great human rights struggles for equality and justice, we exist to fulfill America’s promise of a caring, inclusive and just democracy. We use innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high impact policy change. We are a co-convener of the National Campaign for Police Free schools, a formation of 20+ youth-led grassroots organizations fighting to end the criminalization of youth in the classroom, create liberatory educational spaces, and implement an affirmative vision of safety and transformative justice.Visit www.advancementproject.org to learn more.