PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP signed an order to end the Department of Education (White House photo).

An executive order seeking to dismantle the federal Department of Education was signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday.

The president does not have the power to do that with an order – according to the Associated Press – but Republicans are planning to introduce legislation to dissolve the department, created by Congress in 1979.

In the order, Education Secretary Linda McMahon is called upon to “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities.”

The Education Department’s staff has been reduced by one-half and there have been reductions in several programs it administers.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said, ““This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump,”

Judge bars access to Social Security data

A temporary restraining order was issued on Thursday by a federal judge barring access of Social Security Administration data to Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency.

A FEDERAL JUDGE said blocked access to Social Security records to Elon Musk and DOGE (Shutterstock).

According to The New York Times, the order by Judge Ellen L. Hollander, the order blocks access to Musk’s team of documents such as tax records, but could allow “redacted” or “anonomized” material for analysis without violating privacy laws

ALSO IN THE NEWS …Ukraine and Russia exchanged blows while other parties considered cease-fire proposals. According to United Press International, Ukrainian drones attacked a Russian bomber base and Russia launched air strikes against sites in central Ukraine … About 1,000 parks workers who were fired from jobs in the National Park Service will get their jobs back, according to the Los Angeles Times,

Weather: Spring has arrived

It might be a bit early, but the season of spring has arrived. The forecast for the next few days is for pleasant days and nights for the West Orange County area. Friday’s daytime high should be 75 with mostly sunny skies and an overnight low of 51. Saturday will cool a bit to 72 (also with mostly sunny skies) and a low of 53. Partly cloudy conditions are expected to move in on Sunday and Monday with highs of 73 and 78 and lows of 53 and 54.

Great Thoughts

“All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.”
– Al Smith, governor of New York