Wisconsin AG Kaul sues the Trump Administration for freezing education funds

WISCONSIN (CIVIC MEDIA) – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul joins a coalition of several states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for unlawfully freezing education funds, leaving the state at risk of losing over $70 million in federal funding.

The administration had decided to freeze funding for six U.S. Department of Education programs, putting $6.8 billion at risk nationwide. The decision comes just weeks before schools are to be back in session, jeopardizing commitments schools had made when finalizing their respective budgets. In total, Wisconsin could lose $72 million in education funding.

Attorney General Kaul’s coalition argues the freeze violates several statues and regulations that protect funding for critical programs, as well as the U.S. Constitution’s separation of powers.

“Depriving our schools of critical resources is bad for our schools, bad for students, and bad for Wisconsin,” Attorney General Kaul said in a statement. “This unlawful funding freeze should be stopped.”

“Wisconsin schools depend on these dollars to serve kids. Make no mistake, stopping this money has had and will continue to harm our families and communities,” added Dr. Jill Underly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Attorney General Kaul had previously found success in halting the Trump Administration’s efforts: he recently preserved key social programs by stopping U.S. Secretary of State Robert F. Kennedy from implementing a radical restructure to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and he barred the administration from dismantling AmeriCorps, saving several Wisconsin-based programs.

The coalition asks the court for injunction relief. View the full Wisconsin Department of Justice press release here.