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Statement

America’s Moms Reject Trump’s Short-Sighted Attacks on U.S. Department of Education

March 13, 2025

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the Trump administration firing nearly half the people working at the U.S. Department of Education:

“Gutting the staff at the U.S. Department of Education is an affront to America’s moms and families. It thwarts the will of the people, and it will undermine the success of our students and the viability of our workforce, now and in the future.

“We are not fooled by the absurd claims that these broad-based, thoughtless firings are designed to curb bureaucratic waste. Firing nearly half the staff at the Department of Education will mean fewer qualified teachers in classrooms, an end to tutoring programs and remedial services for students at Title I schools, less impact for our special education laws, more students with disabilities unable to learn, and more unchecked discrimination against students of color, girls, and others who face harassment and bias. The Trump administration’s real goal is to use the funds that currently educate our kids to line the pockets of greedy billionaires like Elon Musk. It is shameful.

“Ninety percent of students, and 95% of those with disabilities, attend public schools. The programs the Department of Education runs benefit all our kids. America’s families depend on a federally supported, strong public education system to give the next generation the tools and resources to succeed. Education is a pathway to opportunity and to a workforce, economy, and country that can thrive. We must give all our children every opportunity to succeed.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.