February 15th 2025.
On February 13, members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a confirmation hearing for Linda McMahon, President Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Education. The committee members questioned her stance on various important topics such as school choice, support for students with disabilities, discrimination based on sex, teacher salaries, and budget cuts.
According to The 19th News, McMahon expressed her willingness to follow Trump's plan for the department, which focuses on returning control of education to individual states. She assured the senators that this was not a new concept and that it has never been in jeopardy. However, the future of the Department of Education has become more uncertain as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, was given permission by Trump to make cuts to the department's research arm, the Institute of Research Sciences. This has resulted in the cancellation of several grants and contracts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which has been a target of the Trump administration.
During the confirmation hearing, McMahon faced disruptions from protestors and was questioned about the administration's anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities. Senator Chris Murphy raised concerns about the cancellation of programming for Black History Month in schools managed by the Department of Defense. He also asked McMahon if a public school would lose federal funding for allowing students to form extracurricular clubs based on race or ethnicity. McMahon did not provide a clear answer, stating that she would need to look into it further.
One particularly concerning statement made by McMahon during the hearing was her belief that private schools should have the right to turn down students based on their race or disability. This sparked backlash and was described as "wild stuff" by Charlie Potatoes on Twitter.
Senator Maggie Hassan also expressed her concerns, stating that the whole hearing felt like "elegant gaslighting." She was referring to Ja'han Jones' op-ed for MSNBC, in which he argues that McMahon's background in professional wrestling, an industry known for perpetuating harmful stereotypes, makes her an ideal candidate for Trump's extreme vision for the Department of Education.
The Trump administration's decision to cancel federal grants promoting student diversity has also received criticism. According to CBS Mornings, more than $350 million in spending for what the administration deems "woke" initiatives has been canceled. This move aligns with Trump's goal of completely dismantling the Department of Education, as stated in a tweet shared by CBS Mornings. The future of the department and its protections for marginalized groups remains uncertain.
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