Experts were furious Monday at the Trump administration's latest move to slash most of the special education staff in the Department of Education.
The Trump administration on Friday started laying off 466 people across the education department, which gutted the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services — the office responsible for supporting millions of children and adults with disabilities in the U.S., The Guardian reports.
“Despite extensive efforts to minimize impact on employees and programs during the ongoing government shutdown, the continued lapse in funding has made it necessary to implement the RIF (reduction in force),” according to a letter sent to workers that was reviewed by CNN. These workers were told they would be employed through Dec. 9.
“This is decimating the office responsible for safeguarding the rights of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities," an employee told NPR.
Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, a union that represents many Education Department employees, responded to the fallout in an interview with NPR.
"Based on multiple reports from staff and their managers, we believe that all remaining staff in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA), have been illegally fired," Gittleman said.
"The harm these cuts will cause for the 7.5 million students with disabilities across the country is only beginning," Gittelman added.