SPRINGFIELD – Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow the federal administration to move forward with firing thousands of U.S. Department of Education employees, functionally eliminating the agency, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) released the following statement:
“The federal administration does not hold unilateral authority to eliminate a national agency enshrined into federal law. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow the federal administration to move forward with the functional dismantling of the Department of Education infringes on the authority of Congress and undermines the right of every child to obtain a free and quality public school education, resulting in devastating consequences for our most vulnerable children.
“The court’s decision will leave children living with disabilities without critical safeguards. Students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and young women will face greater rates of discrimination and systemic inequity with no oversight of civil rights protections. Children from immigrant families will have to navigate the public education system with limited support for English learning, setting back their education.
“Access to education is an essential human right that solidifies the foundation of our lifelong journey of learning. All children, regardless of background, deserve the right to an adequate and equitable education. I have and will continue to remain committed to supporting our state’s public schools and students even in the wake of these reckless federal actions.”
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