Lead: A federal judge ruled that automated out‑of‑office emails from Department of Education accounts that blamed Democratic senators for the government shutdown violated employees’ First Amendment rights and ordered the agency to remove the partisan language. What happened: U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper granted the American Federation of Government Employees’ challenge and permanently barred partisan content in unionized employees’ auto‑replies; he said the agency cannot make rank‑and‑file civil servants into political mouthpieces. Who’s involved: The American Federation of Government Employees, the Department of Education, and the U.S. District Court. The ruling compels the department to strip partisan language from automated messages or face court‑ordered remediation. Why it matters: The decision constrains how federal agencies can coordinate external communications during political standoffs—a practical issue for campus partners that rely on federal contacts for grants, reporting and compliance.