Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call out Trump Administration’s Dismantling of Education Offices Responsible for Supporting People with Disabilities

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call out Trump Administration's Dismantling of Education Offices Responsible for Supporting People with Disabilities

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-OR) today called out the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle U.S. special education with its decision to illegally fire Department of Education workers who provide education services and resources in Oregon and nationwide for people with disabilities and their families.

"We write today with outrage at your reported decision to fire nearly everyone at the Department of Education (the Department) dedicated to delivering services and resources to infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with disabilities," Wyden, Merkley and Senate colleagues wrote Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. "A federal judge has paused all of the illegal reductions-in-force issued during the government shutdown, noting that they appear to be 'the epitome of hasty, arbitrary, and capricious decision-making.' We call on you to immediately end your illegal effort to fire these workers and ensure the offices are restored so that the staff can effectively implement statutorily required responsibilities assigned to the Secretary of Education."

The lawmakers' letter emphasized the administration's legal obligation to carry out education programs for Americans with disabilities.

"Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), every student in America is legally entitled to a free, appropriate public education and yet you have decimated, without justification, the federal offices that help make that happen for children with disabilities and their families," the senators wrote. "By effectively closing these offices, you have sent a clear message: the Trump Administration does not believe that children with disabilities deserve an equal education."

The Senators added that the administration's latest attempted mass firings follow a pattern of undermining legally mandated special education programs, noting that the administration has previously fired staff overseeing implementation of IDEA and canceled investments in improving accessibility for students.

"We have already heard from families across the country who are fearful of losing services given the Department's actions," they wrote. "We demand you reverse the firing of the staff at these critical offices."

In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter led by U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen was signed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.)

Letter text, including the senators' questions to administration officials, is here.