Washington (AP) – The Department of Education Office for Civil Rights is known to apply the right to disability services in American schools. But under President Donald Trump, it plays a front line role in his political battles.
People appointed by Trump interrupted thousands of pending cases while they open new surveys aligned on the president’s campaign promises. Career staff have been sidelined and in a hurry to quit smoking, and those who remain are condemned to refocus priorities anti -Semitism,, Transgender problems And Anti-DEI complaints.
Friday to the head of the chief of civil rights, the anti-Semitic affairs announced are now the top priority, targeting the colleges where pro-Palestinian demonstrations brought accusations of anti-Jewish prejudices. This has followed a decision to reduce $ 400 million in federal money Go to Columbia Universitywhere on Saturday immigration officials arrested a Palestinian activist who participated in leading student events.
The types of cases on which the office is traditionally concentrated is suspended – disabled students Who needs services that they do not receive, or students confronted with harassment linked to their skin color.
It is normal for the new presidential administrations to interrupt civil rights affairs during their acclimatized, but this transition brought a longer and more rigid frost than the others. Trump officials raised the freezing of disability cases on February 20 and last week, a new education secretary Linda McMahon said all cases could resume as usual.
During the first month of Trump’s mandate, the civil rights office resolved around fifty cases, according to a staff member who spoke under the cover of anonymity for fear of reprisals. In comparison, the office has resolved more than 3,000 complaints in the same window of Trump’s first mandate and nearly 500 under the former president Joe Biden.
Even the most urgent cases, which are traditionally granted exceptions, seated inactive during frost. Staff lawyers were invited not to answer outdoor calls or emails, leaving families in the dark.
Another member of the staff of the Civil Rights Office described desperate emails from parents whose schools refused to make accommodation for their children’s disorders. “We simply ignored their emails,” said the person, who also spoke under the guise of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Tylisa Guyton of Taylor, Michigan, filed a complaint with the civil rights office on January 20 concerning the repeated suspensions of her 16 -year -old son in a school district of the suburbs of Detroit, alleging that a white administrator was aiming for him and a group of other black children. The teenager has been out of school since December 4. Even if the surveys resume, she heard nothing from the Civil Rights Agency.
“He still asks every day:” When can I go back to school? “” Said Guyton about his son.
The memo on Friday said that employees’ anti -Semitism would be a “priority of investigation and application”. He added that the memo should not be interpreted as “depreciating” any other form of OCR application activity “. But staff members said it was the most likely result, as the decrease in the ranks of employees is faced with heavier workplaces linked to the president’s agenda.
On Monday, the Department of Education sent a letter to 60 colleges warning that they could lose federal money if they do not manage to make campuses for Jewish students. The list includes Harvard, Cornell and many others where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have led to accusations of anti-Jewish biases.
Policy generally plays in office priorities to a certain extent, and the Republicans have also accused Biden officials of going too far when they opened cases in bans of COVVI-19 mask or to support transgender students. But several long -standing staff have declared that it was the first time that they have seen cases related to political agendas, to expel their daily work.
Trump called for a total Closure of the Department of Educationcalling him a “con” infiltrated by leftists. During his hearing in the Senate, McMahon said that the Civil Rights Office could be better served if he moves to the Ministry of Justice.
Some cases go ahead, but others seem to be blocked, said Marcie Lipsitt, a special education defender in Michigan.
“I said to everyone:” You will have to fight harder for responsibility because there will be no responsibility for the US SDE service, if there is an American department of emergency, “she said.
At the same time, Trump officials continued to open their own “directed investigations” – proactive surveys that depart from the typical work of the complaints. The office opened more than a dozen surveys, many of whom aimed to put pressure on universities to stop allowing Transgender athletes Or take a more difficult position against pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
This adds to more work for fewer employees at the office of around 500 workers. Staff members say that offices on the ground across the country were affected after dozens of workers in the department were put in response to Trump’s orders against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Many others have taken offices pushed by the Trump administration, leaving certain offices on the ground without administrators in key leadership jobs.
Minor changes in office policies could also have an oversized impact. Complaints from the office can only advance if the file signs a consent form allowing its name to be disclosed during the survey. For years, the office sent reminders if the form was not subject – parents often did not know that it was necessary. But an updated case manual from the Trump administration drops the reminders.
Staff members say that it means that more cases will be rejected on technicality.
Some special education defenders have started to deposit more cases with state agencies, said Brandi Tanner, a psychologist based in Atlanta and defender of special education. During conversations at a recent conference in California, disability defenders expressed their uncertainty and anxiety, said Tanner.
“” It’s a bit like, we are very afraid of what will continue to descend the pike, “she said.” Will students lose their rights? “
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Hollingsworth reported Mission, Kansas.
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