Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, strongly criticized the Trump administration’s decision to slash the U.S. Department of Education workforce by half, calling it unacceptable and potentially catastrophic for Wisconsin’s schools and children. Over 1,300 department employees received termination notices, following 572 who accepted buyouts. This drastic reduction leaves the department with significantly fewer staff than at the beginning of Trump’s second term.

Evers, along with Democratic governors and former educators, including Matt Meyer of Delaware and Tim Walz of Minnesota, voiced concerns about the negative impacts of these layoffs on school budgets, class sizes, resources for special education programs, and teacher recruitment.

Criticism was also directed at Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, a billionaire GOP donor and former wrestling industry executive, for defending the layoffs as a means to cut bureaucratic bloat and enhance efficiency. McMahon’s statement that this move is a humanitarian one was met with skepticism, with Walz remarking that she missed firing the “bad ones,” referring to herself.

The state leaders emphasized the importance of not compromising the well-being of students and families in the pursuit of bureaucratic streamlining. The potential consequences of a weakened Education Department include detrimental effects on education quality and teacher retention. This move has sparked widespread concern and opposition among education advocates and officials.