In a mounting crisis at the U.S. Department of Education, teachers, students and union leaders are planning to rally Wednesday against recent actions by Elon Musk's
Elon Musk
The protest comes just days after DOGE abruptly terminated 89 contracts worth $881 million at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), effectively shuttering much of the department's research arm. Among the casualties was an ongoing multi-state study examining strategies to help students recover from pandemic-related math learning losses.
"This is a decimation - the destruction of knowing what works for kids," said one department source who requested anonymity due to fear of retribution.
But the contract cancellations may be just the tip of the iceberg. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and other unions filed a federal lawsuit Monday alleging that DOGE staff, including a 19-year-old with a history of leaking information, have been given improper access to millions of Americans' sensitive student loan data, Social Security numbers, and other private records.
"Right now, inside the Department, the world's richest man and his minions are rifling through 45 million people's private student loan accounts and feeding the data into artificial intelligence in one of the biggest data hacks in U.S. history," said AFT President Randi Weingarten, who will lead Wednesday's protest.
The developments cast a shadow over Thursday's confirmation hearing for Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon. Protesters are demanding that McMahon commit to removing Musk and his DOGE unit from the department if confirmed.
Department employees described a somber mood during Monday's emergency meeting where the contract terminations were announced. The cuts affect wide-ranging research into teaching practices, student achievement, private schools, homeschooling and career education programs.
Thomas Weko, a former commissioner at the National Center for Education Statistics, called the halt in research work "shocking" and "pointless," noting that IES was created to put education research on par with scientific fields like medicine.
The only major program apparently spared so far is the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as "The Nation's Report Card."
The White House has not responded to requests for comment. A Department of Education spokesperson pointed to a DOGE social media post defending the contract terminations as cost-saving measures.
Wednesday's protest is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Department of Education's C Street entrance, weather permitting. Organizers say they will move the event online if heavy snow forces a change of plans.
