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Fate of Civil Rights Office Unknown as Trump Continues to Dismantle Department of Education 

November 25, 2025

The Trump Administration is actively working to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, which was established in 1979 to coordinate federal education support and protect students' civil rights. Representative Bobby Scott, the senior Democrat on the House Education Committee, has stated that closing a federal agency requires Congressional approval, which the administration lacks, and accused Trump of attempting to break the law. The effort is part of a broader agenda to roll back civil rights protections from the 1960s, including housing anti-discrimination rules, disparate-impact enforcement, and DEI programs.

Who is affected

  • Students (particularly those in low-income communities and students with disabilities)
  • Public schools
  • Federal contractors (through rescinded affirmative-action requirements)
  • Protected groups experiencing discrimination
  • The U.S. Department of Education and its employees
  • Communities impacted by housing segregation and racial disparities

What action is being taken

  • The Trump Administration is working to relocate and potentially end the U.S. Department of Education
  • The administration is dismantling civil rights policies from the 1960s
  • Federal agencies are being instructed to deprioritize enforcement of disparate-impact theory
  • Republicans are holding hearings on career and technical education

Why it matters

  • The Department of Education plays a critical role in enforcing students' civil rights and providing federal oversight to prevent segregation, ensure education for students with disabilities, and secure resources for low-income communities. Without federal oversight, there are concerns about returning to historical patterns of educational discrimination and inequality. The dismantling represents a significant rollback of civil rights protections that have been in place for decades.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint

Fate of Civil Rights Office Unknown as Trump Continues to Dismantle Department of Education