Major staff cuts at the U.S. Department of Education are raising concerns among Long Island educators, parents and students that special education and student loans could face disruptions. Maura McDermott reports in NEWSDAY that the federal agency announced Tuesday that it is reducing its staff by nearly half, from 4,133 to about 2,180 workers. It said it was laying off more than 1,300 employees. About 600 workers also accepted severance packages and more than 60 probationary employees lost their jobs. The Associated Press reported that staff at seven of the department's 12 regional civil rights offices, including in New York, were entirely laid off.Linda McMahon, the education secretary, said the job cuts would streamline the agency and would not affect financial aid, services for students with special needs or low incomes or other programs. In Suffolk County, the agency funds services for children with special needs, adult learners, migrants and students who are learning English, among other programs, said Eastern Suffolk BOCES Chief Operating Officer David Wicks.“I think the best word that most people are feeling right now is a bit anxious,” he said. “It absolutely could be detrimental.”Stony Brook University receives just under $50 million annually in federal grants and other aid. The federal education department also "provides students access to just over $80 million each year” in loans, according to university spokesperson Kelly Drossel.***The Riverhead-based Butterfly Effect Project has decided to cancel an upcoming fundraiser because of racist and threatening phone calls, according to the organization’s founder. Alek Lewis reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the nonprofit youth-serving organization is concerned with the security of the March 22 Pearls of Wisdom event after its office received multiple calls over the last week threatening to slash the tires and put sugar in the gas tanks of cars parked at the event venue, Executive Director Tijuana Fulford said yesterday. The callers, who did not identify themselves, also slung racist slurs and dehumanizing insults to Black people at the staff members who picked up the phone, Fulford said. The organization has been receiving an average of three to four calls a day, Fulford said. She decided to cancel the event after the office received seven calls on Tuesday. The Pearls of Wisdom event was a fundraiser to help the organization’s children pay for their college applications, Fulford said. It was a partnership with the National Coalition of Black Women and was to be held at the Black-led First Baptist Church of Riverhead. The organizations had 12 local women to give advice to the next generation; the threatening calls came after the organization began to post the pictures of the guest speakers, Fulford said. ***Shelter Island Friends of Music hosts its second concert of the 2025 season featuring award-winning violinist Sirena Huang and pianist Chih-Yi Chen this coming Saturday afternoon March 15 at 3pm in the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. In this free concert, the virtuosos will perform the identical program that they will be presenting for their Carnegie Hall debut in April. It features works of Beethoven, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Chen Gang, Coleridge-Taylor, and others.There is no admission fee; donations are always appreciated. A reception with the musicians will follow the concert.Visit www.shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org for more information..That’s this coming Saturday at 3pm in Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, 32 North Ferry Rd. (Rte. 114), Shelter Island, NY 11964***The East Hampton Housing Authority requested $1.5 million from the town’s Community Housing Fund to aid in the purchase of a Sag Harbor property, which the organization hopes to preserve as affordable housing. The Hampton Street complex, which

Butterfly Effect Project chooses to cancel upcoming fundraiser due to racist and threatening phone calls