United States President Donald Trump's administration resumed the investigation into disability-related discrimination in schools across the nation.
The situation comes after cases that had been progressing toward mediation or a resolution with school districts were suddenly postponed with no explanation. Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates CEO Denise Marshall fielded worries from parents nationwide over the last month.
Complaints of Disability-Related Discrimination in Schools
She said that in recent weeks, staffers at the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, who had been given the responsibility of investigating students' situations, suspended communications altogether.
An internal memo and an agency spokesperson revealed that the Trump administration lifted the suspension of the investigations on Feb. 20, 2025. However, current and former officials added that much of the branch's remaining work, which plays a key role in curbing discrimination against students and teachers, remains largely in limbo.
The memo showed that investigators have resumed looking into complaints that alleged just disability-based discrimination. However, advocates argued that they are worried that complaints regarding prejudice on multiple fronts will still be suspended, according to USA Today.
It is typical for the Education Department's civil rights arm to temporarily suspend some of its operations when a new president is elected. This is as the Oval Office shifts its policy priorities to align with the new leader's administration.
However, in the past, the bulk of its least controversial grunt work, such as investigations into disability-related discrimination, has not been largely impacted. Former officials and advocates argued that when Trump retook office, staffers in the civil rights office experienced an unconventional pause.
Discrimination Based on Race and Gender
The resumption of investigations only affecting cases related to discrimination means that those that relate to race and gender are still on hold. These include cases that allege unfair discipline or race-based harassment, Pro Publica reported.
On top of these, a report last week noted that the Department of Education decided to suspend ongoing civil rights investigations during the presidential transition. This was an unusual decision, even during this moment in the legal landscape.
The situation comes as during the first weeks of the Trump administration taking control, the Department of Education has launched investigations into complaints involving antisemitism and transgender athletes being allowed to compete in women's sports.
These efforts delivered on the president's promise to use federal funding as a means of leverage to target perceived "wokeness" in schools. However, many are concerned that the administration focuses on these instead of responding to complaints from families of students with disabilities, as per the Associated Press.
