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Trump Targets Public Education with Mass Job Cuts

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The administration’s decision to gut the department aligns with Trump’s long-standing pledge to shift education entirely to state control.

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By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

The Trump administration has taken its first steps in dismantling the Department of Education, slashing more than 1,300 jobs and closing regional offices in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland. According to Rachel Oglesby, the department’s chief of staff, employees were informed via email Tuesday that the Washington headquarters and regional offices would be closed Wednesday for unspecified “security reasons” before reopening Thursday. “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.

The layoffs are part of a broader effort led by Trump and the Elon Musk-headed Department of Government Efficiency to shrink the federal government. The 1,300 affected employees will officially be terminated in 90 days, with severance packages based on their length of service. In addition, 63 probationary employees were dismissed last month under a White House directive, while more than 300 workers accepted buyouts of up to $25,000, and another 260 opted for deferred resignations. McMahon confirmed that the cuts are just the beginning. Trump has vowed to eliminate the Department of Education, a move that would require congressional approval.

Impact on Marginalized Communities

Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who served under the Obama administration, described the cuts as a direct threat to vulnerable students, particularly those in Black and Brown communities. “It is our time to have courage and fight for kids,” Duncan previously said in a recently published interview. When asked about the impact of Trump’s proposed education cuts, he said there was a “chance to have an extraordinarily damaging and detrimental effect.” The Department of Education plays a vital role in ensuring equal access to education, particularly for historically disadvantaged communities. It enforces civil rights protections under laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in education based on race, sex, and disability. It also administers federal funding for Pell Grants, supports students with disabilities, and provides critical financial assistance to high-poverty schools.

The administration’s decision to gut the department aligns with Trump’s long-standing pledge to shift education entirely to state control. His 2024 campaign platform describes the agency as a “woke” bureaucracy that interferes with local decisions. Far-right conservatives have taken issue with the department’s efforts to promote racial equity, diversify the teacher workforce, and protect LGBTQ+ students. However, the department’s biggest K-12 funding programs support the communities that stand to lose the most. The Biden administration had secured more than $300 million to increase school integration through programs like the Magnet Schools Assistance Program and the Fostering Diverse Schools initiative. These programs, funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and efforts to expand teacher diversity are now at risk.

Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, warned that eliminating the department would devastate public education. “If it became a reality, Trump’s power grab would steal resources for our most vulnerable students, explode class sizes, cut job training programs, make higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle-class families, take away special education services for students with disabilities, and gut student civil rights protections,” Pringle said. The administration has also pushed a wave of directives that could further destabilize public education, including stripping schools of federal funding, promoting school voucher programs, and expanding funding for private charter operators with less oversight. Additionally, Trump’s policies have allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct raids on public schools, further creating fear among immigrant families.

Ninety percent of U.S. students—and 95% of students with disabilities—attend public schools, which depend on the Department of Education for oversight and resources. Pringle described Trump’s education agenda as a “wrecking ball to public schools,” warning that marginalized students will bear the brunt of the fallout. “Americans did not vote for, and do not support,” she said, “ending the federal government’s commitment to ensuring equal educational opportunities for every child.”

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

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Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

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By Congressman James E. Clyburn

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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”

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