WASHINGTON, DC – “Working people are not going to stand idly by while this administration destroys public education and other services we all rely on—just to give tax breaks to corporations and the ultra-wealthy. President Trump’s executive order is a direct attack on students, families, educators and our communities who know that public education is key to ensuring all of us have the opportunity to reach our full potential. We will fight back to protect our students, our schools and our future.

The Department of Education's core mission is to protect the rights and interests of all students—ensuring equal access to resources through programs like Title I and Title IX, guaranteeing rights for students with disabilities, and providing more than a trillion dollars in federal student aid annually. Bottom line—this executive order will inevitably harm millions of students of all ages and the jobs of millions of educators and support staff who work tirelessly to ensure that every child can thrive.

Education workers—from food service workers, janitors and bus drivers to higher education workers, teachers, special education support staff and administrators—stand united in this moment to protect the interests of the students and communities they serve. We will not be intimidated by the harassment and detention of educators and students who exercise their free speech rights to disagree with this administration’s policies. It is our civic duty to stand up against these grave abuses of power to protect our schools and our democracy and ensure that all working people and families can thrive.”

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