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submitted 3 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

The agency cut nearly everyone who works to administer federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, one staffer said.

The U.S. Department of Education fired nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in a wave of new layoffs that began Friday, according to the union representing the agency's employees.

Without an official estimate from the agency, it wasn't immediately clear how many people in the division were fired. Yet based on reports from staff and their managers, most employees below the leadership level were part of the workforce reduction, said Rachel Gittleman, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252.

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[-] frunch@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I love how these assholes are firing people at unprecedented rates as a way of somehow punishing Democrats. The Ds refusal to let the current admin double everyone's medical insurance costs means Rs start dismantling the government as punishment? That's what the Rs want in the first place. They're doing exactly what they want while blaming the Democrats for all the negative effects, as is tradition

[-] watson387@sopuli.xyz 6 points 3 months ago

This was always the plan. They're just using the shutdown as an excuse.

[-] Vandals_handle@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

IMO they created the shutdown as an excuse

[-] TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

They're doing exactly what they want while blaming the Democrats for all the negative effects, as is tradition

They're doing it because it works, alarmingly well. Sure, many Americans recognize that it's all just a dishonest tactic, but not enough of us. Many Americans fall for the con, hook, line and sinker.

[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 3 months ago

From what ive heard alot of republican states depend on SPED more heavily than blue ones.

[-] WanderWisley@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago

How’s Barron gonna graduate college now?

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 months ago

American degrees are bought not earned.

[-] Plurrbear@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Same as before, having daddy pay for his degree(s)… we all know too well, if you have money you can pay for whatever no matter how dumb you are…

[-] skisnow@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 months ago

Oh look, another parallel to Nazi Germany. I’ll just put it over here with the others…

[-] Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

This is nothing like nazi Germany. For one, there's a whole ocean between Germany and the United States. For two, that was, like, a million years ago. So... Yeah.

[-] Sundiata@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

this won't age well when teachers are hauled out of the classroom for insulting our dear leader.

[-] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

I will probably be one of them. I finish my master’s of education in June next year.

[-] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 6 points 3 months ago

Cool, Dems should now refuse to reopen the government until ACA subsidies are extended and all these people are hired back. Flinging shit around the room does not mean you have leverage in a negotiation, it just means you should get stuck with the cleaning bill when it's all over.

[-] Formfiller@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

All sane Americans should refuse to open society until this stops

[-] Etterra@discuss.online 5 points 3 months ago

Humans: you're hurting kids with special needs

Trump: fuck them retards

[-] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 months ago

Where I came from, they treat people with disabilities (particularly mentally challenged people) like absolute garbage and there's rampant discrimination, now America is doing the same.

Holy shit.

So... Cooked...

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 months ago

Just because the government is shut down does not mean Trump can do more illegal layoffs.

This makes no sense, they’re just making up rules at this point

[-] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

They're being taken to court over it already, but since they pushed this out on a Friday we get a weekend of bullshit headlines about it

[-] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I'm worried these means of carving up the government are going to get the Democrats to capitulate. They will blame Democrats for everything that gets carved anyway, that was always the plan.

The regime needed to be starved of funds earlier this year. Second best time is now. If the supreme court allows the executive to allocate tarrifs as they want, then the branch still gets some means of funding - probably military and ICE.

There is a flaw with their plan. Yes, we will all suffer greatly, but ever increasing tarrifs on imported goods will result in a decrease on imported goods regardless if they are made in America or not. This means that while they might have a good source of funds secured temporarily, the revenue generated is still bound by math. n * ( price of good * tarrif - price of good) = total revenue. As n approaches 0, revenue approaches 0, regardless if tarrifs grow infinitely.

At some point, even the wealthiest Americans won't be able to afford the imported good. If nothing is imported, no money is generated, and the executive has nothing to allocate.

They're definitely aware of this. Hence why they are doing everything they can do to guarantee a 2026 midterm gives them complete control of the house and Senate. They need regular funds back before they can no longer pay ICE and military. That's coming here very soon.

[-] moshankey@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

I am so sad. That’s all I can think of right now. So happy to be retired from teaching. So scared for our kids.

[-] Formfiller@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)
[-] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Fucking wow. It hurts every time I read about these atrocities.

[-] Dionysus@leminal.space 1 points 3 months ago

Oh man, all of Eric's teachers are gone now.

More Trump family retribution I guess.

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 months ago

I thought the government was shut down? How are they still doing things?

[-] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

Shutdown means employees don't get paid. Everyone in Trump's upper administration is very independently wealthy. (Yes, even the interns)

[-] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 3 months ago

linda mchamon was put there to dissolve DOE, betsy devos was just a trial run.

[-] rocci@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 3 months ago

Isn't the government shut down? How can they do anything?!

[-] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 1 points 3 months ago

Some things are still required to operate during a shutdown.

That said, these are illegal layoffs and are already being challenged in court. Unfortunately that also means it will take time, and the supreme court is a complete fucking farce at this point.

[-] Zephorah@discuss.online 0 points 3 months ago

This punishes parents with special needs kids. Medical babysitting while they’re at work, instead of special ed programs at a public school will break many.

[-] village604@adultswim.fan 0 points 3 months ago

The Republicans want those kids to die, so this is a win for them.

[-] Zephorah@discuss.online 0 points 3 months ago

But they’re pro life. All pregnancies with congenital anomalies should be carried to term. Neural tube defects that go so far as to produce a child with a smooth brain 100% should be born. (Those kids live, medulla and such keeps them alive and growing to teens and beyond.)

[-] village604@adultswim.fan 0 points 3 months ago

Yes, but they think that once they're born, they should die

[-] Zephorah@discuss.online 1 points 3 months ago

Why? So they can collect the medical bills first?

this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2025
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