Quintessa Williams wrote this piece for Word In Black.
President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Linda McMahon, a former head of the federal Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term and co-founder of a professional wrestling league, to head the Education Department, an agency he has pledged to close, in yet another contentious choice for his second-term cabinet.
Like Trump’s other choices, McMahon, who unsuccessfully campaigned twice for the Senate in Connecticut and assisted her now-estranged husband Vince McMahon in starting World Wrestling Entertainment, doesn’t bring much relevant experience or knowledge to the department he wants her to head. Nonetheless, she has prior WWE wrestling mat experience:
McMahon has also had to deal with a sexual scandal, similar to other Trump cabinet picks. In October, she was listed as a co-defendant in a lawsuit filed by five WWE ring boys. The men claim that Melvin Phillips Jr., a WWE commentator, groomed them from the 1970s to the 1990s and then sexually molested them while the McMahons did nothing about it.
According to a statement released by Trump, Linda McMahon would put out endless effort to bring Choice to every state in the union and enable parents to make the greatest choices for their children’s education. He described her as a fervent supporter of the Parents’ Rights movement, which calls for public money to be allocated for school choice rather than diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
However, McMahon’s confirmation may have negative consequences for Black K–12 kids in public schools, impacting everything from civil rights safeguards for vulnerable populations, like as LGBTQ+ students, to school finance.
The National Association of Educators promised to oppose McMahon’s confirmation in a letter to its members. The president of the NEA, Becky Pringle, likened McMahon’s nomination to that of Trump’s first-term education secretary, Betsy DeVos. DeVos, a wealthy heiress, has experimented with education reform in Michigan, where she was born.
Pringle argued that McMahon, like DeVos, is utterly unqualified and has no experience in public education. She has no right to decide on matters pertaining to our pupils’ safety, education, or education.
Jesse Hagopian, an education activist and veteran teacher, stated on Instagram that McMahon’s goals are to destroy the Department of Education, privatize schools, and forbid open instruction on issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation.
RELATED: Why Trump Wants to Eliminate the Education Department and Why Black Children Need It
The following are four major policy areas where McMahon might make big changes, and the implications for Black K–12 students:
Limited Emphasis on Civil Rights and Equity
The Department of Education was instrumental in upholding civil rights safeguards in schools during past presidential administrations.Its Office of Civil Rights looks into accusations of bigotry and makes sure that schools don’t discriminate on the basis of disability, sex, race, or color.
It’s uncertain how much McMahon will give these initiatives top priority, but Trump hasn’t showed much enthusiasm for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Black and other students of color are susceptible to prejudice in the absence of national enforcement.
Promotion of School Choice and Charter Schools
Increased financing and support for charter schools and taxpayer-funded voucher systems that let students to attend private schools could result from McMahon’s strong position on school choice. Advocates claim that the initiatives give families in underperforming school districts options.
However, studies have revealed that they frequently take funds away from public schools, which disproportionately affect Black pupils in districts with little funding or a predominance of minorities.
READ MORE: What Happens If Trump Closes the Department of Education?
Decentralization of Federal Oversight
Trump pledged throughout the presidential campaign to give state and local governments more autonomy over choices like curriculum and education funding. McMahon will probably assist in keeping that pledge. It would, however, increase educational gaps, according to experts, including Title I government funds, which supports schools with a high percentage of low-income kids.
Title I schools, which depend on Ed Department funds for vital services like tutoring, after-school activities, and specialized support personnel, have a disproportionately high proportion of Black pupils enrolled. Eliminating federal oversight might put this financing at risk and reduce Black students’ chances of success.
Vocational and Career Training
Given her experience in business and her employment with the Small Business Administration, McMahon is likely to prioritize programs that prepare students for the workforce. She has been a fervent supporter of matching workforce demands with educational needs.
An overemphasis on vocational education may unintentionally restrict Black students’ access to higher education and other varied professional options, even while this could result in more avenues for vocational and employment prospects.
All things considered, McMahon’s selection supports Trump’s goal of changing education policy nationally, but it may also increase worries about educational equity for Black students and cast doubt on whether these issues will be resolved.
