NEA President on Linda McMahon: “Our students and our nation deserve so much better than Betsy DeVos 2.0.”

National Education Association President Becky Pringle released the following statement reacting to Donald Trump’s nomination of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education: 

“Every student - no matter where they live, how much their family earns, or the color of their skin - deserves the opportunity, resources, and support they need to grow into their full brilliance. In every community across this country parents and educators are partners in this effort.  

“By selecting Linda McMahon, Donald Trump is showing that he could not care less about our students’ futures. Rather than working to strengthen public schools, expand learning opportunities for students, and support educators, McMahon's only mission is to eliminate the Department of Education and take away taxpayer dollars from public schools, where 90% of students - and 95% of students with disabilities – learn, and give them to unaccountable and discriminatory private schools. 

“During his first term, Donald Trump appointed Betsy DeVos to undermine and ultimately privatize public schools through vouchers. Now, he and Linda McMahon are back at it with their extreme Project 2025 proposal to eliminate the Department of Education, steal resources for our most vulnerable students, increase class sizes, cut job training programs, make higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, take away special education services for disabled students, and put student civil rights protections at risk.    

“Parents and educators will stand together to support students and reject the harmful, outlandish, and insulting policies being pushed by the Trump administration. They will make their voices heard, just as they did by resoundingly defeating vouchers in states like Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska.  

“The Department of education plays such a critical role in the success of each and every student in this country.

“The Senate must stand up for our students and reject Donald Trump’s unqualified nominee, Linda McMahon. Our students and our nation deserve so much better than Betsy DeVos 2.0.” 

Background:  

Linda McMahon is grossly unqualified to be Secretary of Education. Like Betsy DeVos, McMahon has no background in public schools nor any understanding of what it takes to help every student thrive.

• When nominated for the Connecticut State Board of Education, McMahon lied about having a degree in education.  
• As CEO of WWE, McMahon oversaw an entertainment company with a history of shady labor practices.
• For the last several years, McMahon has chaired the America First Policy Institute, which has pushed for an extreme agenda that would harm students, defund public schools, and privatize public schools through voucher schemes. 

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.