Trump administration live updates: NAACP, NEA to sue over Department of Education

ABC News - Mar 24th, 2025
Open on ABC News

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order intending to overhaul the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign promise to dismantle what he describes as an 'unaccountable bureaucracy' that has 'plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families.' The order includes transferring key functions like student loans to the Small Business Administration and special needs support to the Department of Health and Human Services. This decision has prompted a coalition, including the NAACP and the National Education Association, to file a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the moves effectively dismantle the department and jeopardize support for millions of vulnerable students.

The implications of Trump's executive order are significant, as it could potentially affect over 400,000 jobs and disrupt essential support services for low-income families, English learners, and other vulnerable groups. The coalition's lawsuit underscores the contentious nature of this decision, reflecting broader debates about the role of federal governance in education. The developments come amid other controversies involving Trump, including his criticism of a portrait of himself at the Colorado State Capitol and political tensions within the Democratic Party over handling government funding and leadership roles.

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RATING

6.2
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides a timely and relevant discussion on President Trump's executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. It effectively highlights the potential implications for vulnerable students and educators, which are significant public interest topics. However, the article's accuracy is somewhat hindered by a lack of detailed evidence for some claims and a limited range of perspectives, which affects its balance and source quality. While the language is clear and accessible, the inclusion of unrelated news items detracts from the focus. Overall, the article raises important issues and has the potential to influence public discourse, but it would benefit from a more comprehensive and balanced presentation.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The article presents several factual claims that align with available information, such as President Trump's executive order to dismantle the Department of Education and the coalition's expected lawsuit. However, the claim about the executive order's impact on moving specific functions to other departments needs further verification, as it is a significant change requiring more detailed evidence. Additionally, the potential risk to jobs and vulnerable students, while plausible, is speculative and requires concrete data to support these assertions.

6
Balance

The article primarily presents perspectives critical of Trump's actions, particularly from the coalition and NEA President Becky Pringle. While these viewpoints are relevant, the article lacks a balanced presentation by not including perspectives from the Trump administration or supporters of the executive order. This omission creates an impression of bias, as it doesn't fully explore the rationale behind the executive order or potential benefits.

7
Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with distinct sections covering different aspects of the story. However, the inclusion of multiple unrelated news items, such as Trump's comments on a painting, detracts from the focus and coherence of the piece, potentially confusing readers about the main story.

6
Source quality

The article cites credible organizations like the NAACP and NEA, which enhances its reliability. However, it does not provide direct quotes or statements from Trump administration officials or other authoritative sources to substantiate the claims about the executive order's specifics. This lack of diverse sourcing limits the article's depth and authority.

5
Transparency

The article does not adequately disclose the basis for some of its claims, such as the exact contents of the executive order or the methodology behind the job risk figures. It lacks transparency in explaining how the information was obtained or verified, which can affect the reader's trust in the content.

Sources

  1. https://www.k12dive.com/news/trump-issues-march-2025-executive-order-gut-close-education-department/741790/
  2. https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/trumps-attack-on-the-department-of-education-explained
  3. https://www.highereddive.com/news/trump-issues-march-2025-executive-order-gut-close-education-department/743148/
  4. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GMA3/video/president-trump-aims-dismantle-department-education-120031985
  5. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-expected-sign-order-gutting-department-education-sources/story?id=119967268