Platkin joins lawsuit against Education Department firings

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin joined a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the firings of 1,300 U.S. Department of Education employees earlier this week.

The firings account for about half of the department’s workforce, and Platkin’s office said the move was one step in the Trump administration’s plans for a “total shutdown” of the Education Department. The lawsuit asks a federal court to block the Trump administration from firing the employees.

“Trump’s flagrant attempts to dismantle the Department of Education by executive action are blatantly illegal, and they will harm millions of students, teachers, and families in New Jersey who depend on the vital services and funding the Department of Education provides,” Platkin said in a release. “As I have said, President Trump is not a king, and he cannot unilaterally decide to close a Cabinet agency.”

This is at least the sixth lawsuit Platkin has led or joined against the Trump administration. 

The suit argues the firings will “incapacitate” the Education Department, a congressionally created agency. The filing argues the executive branch does not have the authority to effectively shut down such an agency.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the firings were needed to improve the efficiency of the agency. The federal government has fired tens of thousands of employees, and a federal judge ordered the government to reinstate many of them Thursday. 

“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” McMahon said in a statement. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”

The attorney general’s office argued the cuts will harm students with special needs and the civil rights office that protects students from discrimination and sexual assault.

“We are taking the Trump Administration to court again to prevent the Trump Administration from inflicting grave harm on our state’s schools, and especially our special needs students,” Platkin said.