A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the US Department of Education to significantly reduce its civil rights enforcement team, allowing the termination of nearly half its staff. This decision overturns a previous injunction that had temporarily protected these positions.
The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston permits the department to dismiss more than 260 employees from its Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This follows a broader Supreme Court order earlier in July that had already permitted wider cuts within the Education Department.
Previously, US District Court Judge Myong Joun had halted these layoffs in two separate cases, citing the “unique harms” such reductions would inflict upon students. His ruling had even compelled the department to temporarily rehire 85 employees in September, with plans to bring back all 264 by November. However, the appeals court sided with the Trump administration, determining that there were no substantial differences between the OCR-specific layoffs and the more extensive cuts previously approved by the Supreme Court.
Judges Lara Montecalvo and Julie Rikelman stated that the distinctions were “insufficiently material” to warrant a different outcome, with Judge Seth Aframe issuing a separate concurring opinion.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from groups like Public Justice, which represents plaintiffs in the Victim Rights Law Center case. Senior Attorney Sean Ouellette expressed concern that the ruling “removes an important check” on the government’s perceived intention to “gut the Office of Civil Rights.” He did acknowledge that the court recognized OCR’s crucial mandate to uphold civil rights laws and ensure equitable access to education.
Advocates are sounding the alarm, emphasizing that without adequate OCR staff, students experiencing discrimination—including survivors of sexual assault and children with pending civil rights complaints—will be left vulnerable and without essential support. A spokesperson for the Victim Rights Law Center condemned the layoffs as an “ill-conceived political move,” reiterating that “OCR exists to safeguard students’ educational access. Without adequate staffing, that is impossible.”
The Education Department has yet to announce its next steps, leaving the fate of the recently reinstated or soon-to-be reinstated employees uncertain.
Before these impending cuts, OCR maintained a staff of approximately 560 across 12 regional offices. In 2023, the office faced a surge in its workload, handling over 19,000 complaints—twice the volume reported in 2021. Compounding the issue, seven regional offices have already been permanently closed.
Critics further caution that this downsizing will severely impair OCR’s capacity to manage its increasing caseload while simultaneously advancing the Trump administration’s policy agenda, which includes stricter regulations concerning transgender student rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.