Spectacular but expected. The US Ministry of Education announced in a statement on Tuesday March 11, having started ” a reduction in its workforce affecting almost 50 % of its staff ”, A new illustration of the will of Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the weight of the federal state.
The Trump administration has already reduced the agency’s workforce – originally estimated at around 4,100 people – through departure offers and employee layoffs during a trial period. The movement announced Tuesday concerns more than 1,300 employees who will be placed on administrative leave from March 21.
These layoffs “Reflect the commitment of the Ministry of Education in favor of efficiency, responsibility, and the guarantee that the resources are deployed where they have the most: with students, parents and teachers”underlines the minister, Linda McMahon, in the press release.
The department has also ended buildings in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago and Cleveland. Ministry officials said he would continue to perform his key functions such as the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan management and scholarship supervision.
Linda McMahon must “put herself unemployed”
Several American media had reported last week that Donald Trump, who has never made mystery of his desire to suppress the Ministry of Education, prepared his dismantling. These media, The Wall Street Journal at the head, leaned on a draft of decree charging Mme McMahon, ex-patron of the main wrestling company in the United States, to dismantle its own ministry.
According to the draft text, the minister will be responsible for “Take all measures necessary to facilitate the closure of the Ministry of Education” In “The limit of what is appropriate and allowed by law”.
Donald Trump had promised during his presidential campaign that he would get rid of this ministry to transfer his attributions to the American states, which already have the essential of the skills in this area. He had also appointed Linda McMahon with the mission of “Get unemployed”.
Created in 1979 under the chairmanship of Jimmy Carter, the Ministry of Education cannot be completely dismantled without the adoption of a law requiring 60 votes in the Senate, where the Republicans currently have 53 seats.