Court Blocks Trump's Plan to Dismantle Department of Education

A federal appeals court rejected President Donald Trump's bid to dismantle the Department of Education, mandating the reinstatement of employees terminated in a mass layoff. The ruling halted Trump's executive order aiming to shut down the department, following his campaign promise to reduce federal oversight in education.

The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to pause a lower court's injunction, sought by several Democratic-led states, school districts, and teachers' unions. The U.S. Department of Justice aimed for a swift resolution to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court if faced with an adverse decision.

The legal action followed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's March announcement of plans to reduce staff by half, a move tied to Trump's initiative to transfer roles to the Small Business Administration and Health and Human Services. Despite the administration's argument for operational streamlining, a judge decided the layoffs bypassed necessary congressional approval for agency closure.

(With inputs from agencies.)