# Supreme Court Clears Way to Shrink Education Dept — Policy Expert Reacts 

Today, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court’s decision, allowing the Trump administration to move forward with plans to shut down the Department of Education.

July 14, 2025 • News Releases 

Today, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court’s decision, allowing the Trump administration to move forward with plans to shut down the Department of Education.

Neal McCluskey, the director of Cato’s Center for Educational Freedom, offered the following statement in response to the decision:

> “The Supreme Court made the right call: There is nothing unconstitutional about the executive branch trying to execute the law with fewer people, which is what the Trump administration is doing. The administration should certainly work to eliminate the unconstitutional, wasteful Department of Education, but if it had wanted to do that unilaterally, it would have fired everyone. Not only did it not do that, but members of the administration have stated that it is ultimately Congress that must eliminate the department.”

If you would like to speak with McCluskey, please reach out to [mmiller@​cato.​org](mailto:mmiller@cato.org).

**More on This Topic:**

- [Why We Should End the Department of Education](https://x.com/NealMcCluskey/status/1898529379359023439)
- [Dissolving the Education Department: The Role of Congress](https://www.cato.org/events/dissolving-education-department-role-congress)
- [Ending the US Department of Education: Status Report](https://www.cato.org/blog/ending-us-department-education-status-report?utm_source=social&utm_medium=x&utm_campaign=Cato%20Social%20Share)
- [Ending the US Department of Education as It Turns 45: A Fireside Chat with Secretary Linda McMahon](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/events/ending-us-department-education-it-turns-45-fireside-chat-secretary-linda-mcmahon)

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