Judge Halts Trump Plan to Dismantle Education Dept

A federal judge in Boston has issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education and halt mass layoffs, ruling that the administration tried to shut down the agency illegally without congressional approval. The lawsuits were filed by Massachusetts school districts, the American Federation of Teachers, and 21 Democratic attorneys general, who argued that the layoffs crippled the department’s ability to fulfill its legal duties. Judge Myong Joun found evidence of irreparable harm to students and educators, including financial uncertainty, loss of services, and delays in mandated functions. All fired employees are to be reinstated to restore the department’s operational capacity. The Trump administration criticized the decision and plans to appeal, contending that its actions aimed to improve efficiency and devolve educational authority to states. The ruling represents a major setback to Trump’s campaign pledge to eliminate the federal education agency.