"Linda McMahon is wholly unqualified"

National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) Executive Director Mary Barden released the following statement in reaction to Donald Trump’s nomination of Linda McMahon as U.S. Secretary of Education:

“Once again, Donald Trump has selected a wholly unqualified nominee to be Secretary of Education. Linda McMahon has zero background in public schools and has no idea what it takes to ensure every student has the resources and skills they need to reach their full potential. 

“Like Betsy DeVos, before her, McMahon will work with Trump to undermine public education and funnel taxpayer dollars from public schools – where 90% of students and 95% of students with disabilities learn – to unaccountable and inequitable private schools. 

“Further, McMahon and Trump now have a Project 2025 road map to dismantle completely the Department of Education. Eliminating the department will drain resources for our most vulnerable students, make higher education more expensive and inaccessible for middle-class families, wipe out special education services for disabled students, and jeopardize student civil rights. 

“Our mission of strengthening public schools remains. Educators and parents will stand together to support students and reject harmful, extreme policies pushed by the Trump administration.  

“The Senate must also stand up for our students and reject Donald Trump’s highly unqualified nominee, Linda McMahon. Our students deserve better.”

Background:  

Linda McMahon is wholly unqualified to be Secretary of Education. Like Betsy DeVos, McMahon has zero background in public schools and has no idea what it takes to ensure every student has the resources and skills they need to reach their full potential. 

• 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 Rhode Island (NEARI) is a union and professional organization with a proud history of serving Rhode Island since 1845. NEARI is 12,000 members strong, we are classroom teachers; education support professionals; higher education faculty, staff, and graduate assistants; municipal and state workers; and retirees. We are affiliated with the National Education Association (NEA) and RI AFL-CIO. Learn more at www.neari.org.