Education Department cuts; Key Bridge; Snow White

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Today’s top stories

President Trump signed an executive action yesterday to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. The administration has promised that certain federal education grants, including for low-income and rural schools, would be preserved. However, today, nearly all the statisticians and data experts who help get that money to schools could be out of a job.

• The action essentially tells U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps toward eliminating the department to the maximum extent possible, ‘s Jonaki Mehta tells Up First. The National Center for Education Statistics, the agency that will have all but three staff workers eliminated, works on “formula grants.” States and districts primarily decide what to do with these funds. For example, Title I and rural school grants could be used to pay for school staff salaries, transportation costs, technology and extra tutoring.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg will try to get answers from the Department of Justice today in a hearing about the Venezuelan migrants who were deported to El Salvador. Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act last weekend to target alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan prison gang he claims is invading the U.S. Planes with over 250 people were sent to El Salvador. The flights happened even though Boasberg ordered the government to turn around any planes already in the air.

• The Justice Department had to file additional details about the flights yesterday. However, Boasberg says the department evaded its obligations. According to Boasberg, Trump’s Cabinet secretaries are deciding whether to refuse to provide evidence. Boasberg is attempting to understand if the administration disobeyed his orders, ‘s Ximena Bustillo says. The Trump administration says they did not disobey the orders and have called for Boasberg’s impeachment.

Maryland officials failed to conduct crucial assessments that could have prevented the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after a cargo ship struck it last year, according to a new report by the National Transportation Safety Board. The board says there are other bridges at risk.

• The NTSB conducted a survey and found that the bridge was 30 times above the risk threshold set by industry standards, according to Scott Maucione of network station WYPR. The assessments look into vessel traffic, transit speeds, loading characteristics and more, especially as ships have gotten larger over the decades. NTSB identified almost 70 bridges across the country that were not built to the needed specifications. It is urging bridge owners to conduct assessments and report to them with remediation plans.

Today’s listen

Screen time isn’t only enjoyable for us humans. Dogs also like laying back with a treat and watching TV. But are they truly as engaged as we are? Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are tackling that very question. After surveying over 1,200 dog owners, they found that furry companions respond most to on-screen images of animals, especially other dogs. That’s why pets’ reactions to Flow, an animated film featuring a cat, capybara, dog, lemur and a bird, have been making waves over social media. Veterinary ophthalmologist Freya Mowat joins Morning Edition to explain why movies like this are so enjoyable for pets.

Weekend picks

3 things to know before you go

1. Two people were convicted in a U.K. court this week for their involvement in the theft of an 18-karat gold toilet artwork insured for a value of $6 million. The original heist took place in 2019 at Blenheim Palace in the U.K.
2. The Boston Celtics team is set to sell for $6.1 billion — the largest sale for a North American sports franchise ever. If the deal is approved, the new ownership group will buy a majority of the team this summer. (via GBH)
3. Filmmaker Carl Erik Rinsch has been charged with defrauding Netflix of $11 million. He was working on a TV series that was never completed and is accused of using the streaming platform’s funds on his own investments.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.