U.S. Senate Must Reject Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21, 2024

CONTACT: Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on President-Elect Trump’s decision to nominate Linda McMahon as U.S. Secretary of Education:

“America’s moms want all our children to be educated in excellent, inclusive schools. Our schools must cultivate learning for children of all abilities, welcome every student, teach accurate history, and prepare each child to succeed. Sadly, President-Elect Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S Department of Education, Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, is wholly unqualified to support those goals.

“Schools aren’t wrestling arenas. Instead of using schools to center children in political wrestling matches, the job of the U.S Secretary of Education is to foster learning and create the foundation of our future workforce. Politics have no place in our taxpayer-funded academic institutions, which are critical to our nation’s success.

“McMahon has a strong history of harmfully prioritizing politics over other considerations. Especially alarming is her leadership at the America First Policy Institute, which advocates defunding public schools by using voucher programs to shift taxpayer dollars to private schools, many of which discriminate against students, including those with disabilities. Taxpayer dollars should be used for students, not to increase profits. And moms don’t want the Department of Education to be led by a person whose ideological bent is to dismantle public schools.

“We need a Secretary of Education who champions and supports educators, as well as advances an education system that makes the United States competitive with other nations – and that means putting students first, advancing literacy, protecting LGBTQIA+ and other vulnerable students, and working tirelessly to stop harassment and bullying to keep our children safe and learning. Our nation’s success depends on giving all children a quality education. The U.S. Senate must not confirm McMahon, who is unfit to serve in this critically important post. Our children – and our country – deserve better.”

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.