WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS), slammed the Trump Administration’s latest move in their effort to shut down the Department of Education and kick oversight and support of special education programs and civil rights enforcement out of the Department. The Trump Administration today announced that the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which oversees the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will move to an unknown part of the sprawling Department of Health and Human Services and the Office for Civil Rights will move to the Justice Department.
“For no other reason than he thought it sounded good on the campaign trail, President Trump is doing everything he can to dismantle the Department of Education, whatever the consequences for students and families,” said Senator Baldwin. “Neither of these moves will do anything to make sure our students get a better public education or have a safe place to learn. In fact, it will do the opposite. Taking special education out of the Department of Education and moving it to another department that has next to zero expertise in education programs makes zero sense. This is illegal and worse, risks children with disabilities not getting the support they need. Wisconsin families just want to send their children to school knowing they are safe, have the support they need, and are treated fairly under the law. Instead, the Trump administration is undermining all of that and causing more chaos, confusion, and making their lives harder.”
Senator Baldwin has been an outspoken critic of President Trump’s stated goal of dismantling the Department of Education and continued efforts to withhold funding from American students and schools, including pushing Sec. McMahon on Trump’s budget that cuts $6 billion from K-12 schools, including $105 million for Wisconsin’s public schools.
An online version of this release is available here.
