What drives someone to become the wolf in sheep’s clothes? Beneath the mask lies a complex psychological landscape—often shaped by trauma, insecurity, or a deep need for control. While their actions are harmful, understanding their mindset can help us recognize and respond to these behaviors more effectively.

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The closure of several regional offices of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) under the Trump administration exposed deep vulnerabilities in how educational civil rights are enforced. With fewer offices, slower investigations, and limited access for rural and underserved communities, it became clear that the OCR, even before the closures, struggled with longstanding inefficiencies. These gaps have left countless students without timely protection against discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and other protected statuses.

President Donald Trump's decision to close several regional offices of the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) was presented by his administration as a move toward greater efficiency. Citing long-standing problems like bureaucratic delays, case backlogs, and internal inefficiencies, the administration argued that consolidating operations would create a leaner, faster, and more focused agency to address the most serious civil rights violations in education.

The phrase "a wolf in sheep’s clothes" is more than just a warning from folklore or scripture—it’s a psychological blueprint for manipulation. Psychologically, this metaphor represents individuals who hide harmful intentions behind a façade of kindness, trust, or morality. They may be charming, helpful, or even spiritual, all while harboring deceitful or abusive motives beneath the surface.

Abuses of power can take many forms—personal, institutional, or systemic—and each carries devastating consequences. At the personal level, power can be misused in families, friendships, or workplaces when individuals control, manipulate, or intimidate others for personal gain. These abuses often remain hidden behind closed doors, protected by silence, fear, or shame.

The iconic image of the three wise monkeys—one covering its ears, another its eyes, and the third its mouth—symbolizes the principle of “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” While often interpreted as a call to maintain moral purity, this symbolism takes on a more haunting meaning when viewed through the lens of abuse of power.

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In a world where abuses of power—whether personal, institutional, or systemic—often go unchecked, your voice is one of the most powerful tools you possess. When someone speaks out against injustice, they not only disrupt a culture of silence but also inspire others to do the same. Silence may feel safer, especially when fear, retaliation, or disbelief loom large. But silence is what allows abuse to thrive.

Whistleblowing is often hailed as a courageous act that upholds justice and transparency, but the psychological toll it takes on the whistleblower is rarely acknowledged. Speaking out against wrongdoing—especially within powerful institutions—can be a deeply isolating and traumatic experience. Many whistleblowers face retaliation, social rejection, and character attacks that can trigger long-term mental health challenges.

The phrase “justice delayed is justice denied” echoes with painful truth for many individuals who have been wronged and forced to wait endlessly for acknowledgment, accountability, and repair. While it may seem that justice is still “in process” during delays, the human cost of waiting can be immense—and often irreparable.

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Since 1979 Tom Devine has been the Government Accountability Project’s legal director, where he has assisted over 8,000 whistleblowers and not lost a case since 2006. He also has been on the front lines for passage and oversight of 39 whistleblower laws, including nearly all U.S. federal laws and internationally from Serbia to the UN and World Bank, most recently the EU Whistleblower Directive and Ukraine.