WASHINGTON, March 12, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The US Department of Education said
Tuesday it was slashing staff numbers by almost half, as President Donald
Trump presses ahead with reshaping the federal government.

The move appears to be the opening gambit in a move to dismantle a department
that right-wing Republicans have long detested, accusing it of overreach.

"As part of the Department of Education's final mission, the Department today
initiated a reduction in force impacting nearly 50% of the Department's
workforce," said Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World
Wrestling Entertainment.

The department had around 4,100 employees when Trump took office.

Almost 600 agreed to resign or retire over the last few weeks as part of a
government-wide plan to reduce headcount, overseen by billionaire businessman
Elon Musk.

A further 1,300 will be placed on administrative leave on March 21, although
they will continue to be paid until June, a statement said, adding no area
would be spared the cuts.

"All divisions within the Department are impacted by the reduction, with some
divisions requiring significant reorganization to better serve students,
parents, educators, and taxpayers," a statement read.

However, it said, statutory programmes would continue unabated -- these
include student loans, Pell Grants and funding for students with special
needs.

Trump promised to decentralize education as he campaigned for a return to the
White House, saying he would devolve the department's powers to state
governments.

He has since directed McMahon to "put herself out of a job."

Traditionally, the federal government has had a limited role in education in
the United States, with only about 13 percent of funding for primary and
secondary schools coming from federal coffers, the rest being funded by
states and local communities.

But federal funding is invaluable for low-income schools and students with
special needs. And the federal government has been essential in enforcing key
civil rights protections for students.

By law, the Education Department, created in 1979, cannot be shuttered
without the approval of Congress.

But Democrats and opponents of the plan see defunding it and firing staff as
a way to neutralize it without seeking approval from the House and the
Senate.

Democratic Senator Patty Murray, a former chair of the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, accused Trump of "taking a wrecking
ball" to the department.

"Families want help to get students' math and reading scores up and ensure
their kids can thrive. Instead, Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to the
Department of Education and robbing our students and teachers of the
resources and support they need, so that Republicans can pay for more massive
tax cuts for billionaires," said a statement.

"Fewer teachers, less accountability, less resources for students, and more
chaos -- it's the last thing students and schools need, but it's exactly what
Trump is delivering."