WASHINGTON – The enigmatic venture led by tech mogul Elon Musk has set off a wave of chaos within the federal government in just a few short weeks, with no signs of calming down. In addition to taking control of key branches responsible for human resources and foreign aid within the U.S. government, Musk’s special task force has now turned its attention to scrutinizing the primary federal agency overseeing American educational institutions.
A high-ranking official at the U.S. Department of Education revealed to staff members during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday that a team affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has been delving into the operations of the agency. This disclosure was made by two individuals who participated in the call and preferred to remain anonymous due to confidentiality reasons.
Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary in the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, conveyed that the DOGE team has been deployed to the department to execute President Donald Trump’s policies, as reported by the aforementioned staffers. However, specifics such as the number of DOGE members involved in the review or the precise changes they intend to implement were not disclosed. Trainor, a recent political appointee, used the meeting as an opportunity to introduce himself to the civil rights division, responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination regulations on educational campuses nationwide.
In a noticeable shift from the approach taken during the Biden administration, the Office for Civil Rights, under Trainor’s guidance, has veered sharply towards a conservative stance. This shift has been exemplified by the suspension of investigations related to book bans, initiation of an inquiry into a Denver high school’s gender-neutral restroom, and directives to educational institutions to reduce LGBTQ inclusivity while enforcing sex discrimination laws.
Numerous employees have been placed on paid administrative leave following the president’s executive order prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the federal government, as reported by the American Federation of Government Employees, the employees’ union. Moreover, during the call on Tuesday, details emerged that the Office for Civil Rights plans to prioritize handling discrimination complaints related to antisemitism in school settings.
Despite attempts to reach out for comment, the Education Department remained silent on matters concerning DOGE and Trainor’s statements.
Zachary Schermele, an education journalist for USA TODAY, can be contacted via email at zschermele@usatoday.com. For updates, follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
This piece was originally published on USA TODAY: Musk’s DOGE targets a new focal point: the Education Department.
