IBL News | New York
Linda McMahon, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for education secretary, will work on “sending Education back to the states” while reducing or eliminating the federal Department of Education. This was one of Trump’s key education campaign pledges.
With a slimmer educational résumé than typical of candidates for the Secretary of Education position, she served 16 years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, where a student center is named for her.
She also spent just over a year on the Connecticut State Board of Education, where she was one of fifteen members overseeing all public education in the state, including its technical high school system. Later, in 2010, she would resign to run as a Republican for a Senate seat.
Linda McMahon, a leader of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, is known for her many years in wrestling as the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
According to President Trump’s statement, her approach to education is based on advocating for parents’ and families’ rights and universal school choice. This means that money typically flowing to public schools will instead go to families so they can spend it on private education.
“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Mr. Trump said.
On Tuesday, Ms. McMahon posted a message on social media praising “apprenticeship programs” and highlighting their examples in Switzerland, which is often cited as a high-performing country whose model the United States should follow.
She also has backed a House bill to make federal Pell Grants available for those pursuing skills training programs and technical education, not just traditional college degrees.
The for-profit college sector applauded Ms. McMahon’s selection.
“Under her leadership, we are confident that the new Department of Education will take a more reasoned and thoughtful approach in addressing many of the overreaching and punitive regulations put forth by the Biden administration, especially those targeting career schools,” Jason Altmire, president of Career Education Colleges and Universities, a trade group that represents the for-profit sector, said in a statement.
• NYT: How Linda McMahon Might Approach the Dept. of Education — Comments of the audience
