šŸ”„Hired To Be Fired: Linda McMahon as the new Secretary of Education

Linda McMahon has officially been confirmed as the new Secretary of Education, and sheā€™s made one thing clear: her goal is to shut down the Department of Education. What does this mean?

šŸ”„Hired To Be Fired: Linda McMahon as the new Secretary of Education
Photo by Andy Feliciotti / Unsplash

Linda McMahon has officially been confirmed as the new Secretary of Education, and sheā€™s made one thing clear: her goal is to shut down the Department of Education.

In her speech, Our Departmentā€™s Final Mission, she painted a picture of an education system pushing ā€œradical anti-American ideology.ā€ But hereā€™s the thingā€”this simply isnā€™t true. The Department of Education isnā€™t a propaganda machine. It funds essential programs, including special education, Title I schools, and student aid. If it disappears, who fills the gap?

Her 3 Priorities:

1ļøāƒ£ Parents as Primary Decision Makers ā€“ Yes, parents should have a voice in their childā€™s education. But education is complex, and we need professionalsā€”teachers, specialists, and expertsā€”to guide us. For many families, placing the full weight of a child's education on parents isnā€™t a relief, itā€™s a burden.

2ļøāƒ£ Refocusing on Core Subjects ā€“ McMahon claims taxpayer-funded education should focus only on math, reading, science, and historyā€”not ā€œdivisive DEI programs and gender ideology.ā€ But this is misleading. Schools arenā€™t choosing between core subjects and inclusionā€”theyā€™re doing both. Teaching accurate history, fostering critical thinking, and creating welcoming environments for all students is meaningful education. But education isnā€™t just about test scoresā€”itā€™s about educating the whole child. Making sure students feel seen, supported, and valued at school isnā€™t a distraction from learning; itā€™s what makes deep, meaningful learning possible.

3ļøāƒ£ Education as Workforce Training ā€“ McMahon argues that postsecondary education should be a direct path to a well-paying job aligned with workforce needs. But colleges and universities do more than hand out credentialsā€”they are hubs of research, innovation, and critical thinking. Reducing higher education to job training ignores the broader value of learning, discovery, and preparing students to shape the future, not just fill positions.

What Happens Next?

If the Department of Education is dismantled, states will scramble to replace funding for critical programs. Special education, student lunch programs, Pell Grantsā€”what happens to them? Who ensures every child has access to a quality education, no matter where they live?

Itā€™s no surprise that most Americans donā€™t support this planā€”an ā€‹NPR/PBS News/Marist pollā€‹ found that 63% oppose shutting down the DoEd, compared to just 37% in favor.

Final thoughts

No matter what thoughts youā€™re left with, please donā€™t give up on public education. Thereā€™s power in numbers, and schools are stronger when families stay engaged. This is just the beginningā€”there will be a lot of court cases that come from these decisions. I believe the results of McMahonā€™s speech wonā€™t reflect the outcomes weā€™ll actually see, and we need to keep pushing for whatā€™s best for our kids.

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