1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

The Trump administration's massive layoffs at the Department of Education, including eliminating over half of the offices that investigate civil rights complaints, are deeply concerning. Stripping down the Office for Civil Rights endangers the ability to properly address allegations of discrimination based on disability, race, gender, and other protected categories in our nation's schools and colleges. The Office for Civil Rights is a vital enforcer of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, investigating thousands of discrimination cases each year to ensure all students have equal access to education. With only five regional offices remaining after closing locations in major cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York, it will be virtually impossible for the drastically reduced staff to effectively resolve the existing backlog of over 12,000 complaints, let alone take on new cases. Crippling this office puts America's most vulnerable students at heightened risk. It threatens to erode years of progress in safeguarding educational equity and protecting the civil rights of our children and young adults. We cannot allow ideological motivations to dismantle such a crucial function of the federal government. I urge you to take immediate action to prevent further erosion of the Department of Education's civil rights enforcement capabilities. Protecting all students' right to freedom from discrimination in schools should be a top priority. We must bolster, not gut, the offices and personnel dedicated to this fundamental duty.