Is the Government Shutdown Getting Worse? Trump Fires Staff Protecting 7.5 Million Disabled Children

The government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, has entered its second week with no sign of resolution. The shutdown started after Congress failed to pass a new funding bill, causing major disruptions to essential national security and public safety services across the country.

As the shutdown continues, many key sectors have been hit hard, especially agriculture and aviation. In the aviation industry, thousands of workers are still on the job but haven’t received their paychecks. These employees continue to manage the safe travel of millions of Americans flying in and out of airports every day, even without knowing when they’ll be paid.

The effects have also spread to education. On Friday, the Trump administration laid off most of the staff at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), a vital division within the Department of Education. This office is responsible for protecting the rights of about 7.5 million children with disabilities and ensuring they receive proper educational support.

According to a discussion on PBS News with Geoff Bennett and Laura Meckler from The Washington Post, OSERS enforces the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — a key federal law guaranteeing free and appropriate education to students with special needs. The department also manages around $15 billion in funding that goes to school districts nationwide. Although the money is still being distributed, the staff who oversee how these funds are used — including those who review compliance, advise states, and conduct audits — have been let go.

While the immediate effects might not yet be seen in classrooms, the long-term consequences could be severe. For instance, if a school fails to provide a nonverbal child with the right communication device or proper support, OSERS would normally intervene. But now, with so many employees dismissed, it will be much harder to identify and correct such issues.

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has also suffered major layoffs. This office is crucial because it investigates cases of discrimination based on race, sex, or disability. In a country where racial and child abuse cases continue to make headlines, losing such an important oversight body could endanger vulnerable students and weaken protections against discrimination.

Earlier this year, nearly half of OCR’s staff were already laid off, and seven of its twelve regional offices were closed. More layoffs took place just last week, including attorneys from the San Francisco office. With fewer people left to handle complaints, many fear that civil rights violations in schools may go unnoticed or unresolved.

The Trump administration has long argued that education responsibilities should be handled by individual states instead of the federal government. Supporters of this idea say that states can manage their own systems more efficiently. However, critics warn that this shift could lead to inconsistent protection of student rights, with some states doing far better than others in ensuring equality and proper education for all.

According to The Irish Star, this marks the first government shutdown in six years. The previous one, which began on December 22, 2018, and lasted until January 25, 2019, was the longest in U.S. history — spanning 35 days. That shutdown was also under the Trump administration and was blamed on disagreements with Democrats over funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

In the midst of the current crisis, Donald Trump has announced plans to fire “a lot” of federal employees whom he claims are “Democrat-oriented.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on Monday that this shutdown could surpass the 2018–2019 record and become the longest in the nation’s history.

“We’re heading toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history,” Johnson said during a press conference. So far, thousands of government employees have already lost their jobs as part of the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

As the standoff continues, growing numbers of Americans are expressing deep concern about the direction of the country. Many are beginning to question the government’s leadership, its priorities, and what this shutdown means for the nation’s future — especially for the millions of ordinary workers and families caught in the middle of it.