Democrats’ Baseless Attacks On Linda McMahon’s Education Experience Fall Apart With One Look At Her Record
A significant lie that opponents of President Donald Trump spew regarding his decision to nominate Linda McMahon to lead the Department of Education is that she does not have enough experience in the subject matter. The National Education Association (NEA) claimed that she is “grossly unqualified” the same day Trump nominated her. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., blasted McMahon as “unqualified” the next day. These statements could not be further from the truth.
While McMahon has garnered notable success shepherding World Wrestling Entertainment into a global phenomenon and leading the Small Business Administration (SBA) in Trump’s first term, she also has a proven track record as an advocate for education in her home state.
Former Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell nominated McMahon as a member of the state’s board of education in 2009. Both Democrats and Republicans in the state House and Senate voted to confirm her in a bipartisan manner. She held the position from February 2009 until April 2010, when she resigned to run for the U.S. Senate.
During her tenure, the board of education worked to carry out a comprehensive plan to better the state’s K-12 system. This plan included aiding families in need, encouraging universities to increase incentives such as scholarships and tuition waivers, and providing incentives to attract and retain highly qualified teachers.
A major component of this plan was to reform the state’s high schools by raising the threshold for students to graduate to better succeed as adults. The board of education intended to “ensure that all districts develop and implement rigorous, standards-based curriculums to meet the changing needs of the workplace” while also developing “strategies to reduce the number of students who are suspended from and/or drop out of high school.”
A Record of Success
Regardless of the attacks against McMahon’s experience in education, her voting record during her tenure shows that she worked to carry out the state’s plan to better schools for children. The plan turned out to be a great accomplishment for the state.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports show the board of education’s plan had positive results. For example, from 2009 to 2013, the state’s twelfth-grade students had their scores increase by four points in mathematics and seven points in reading.
Experience with Higher Education
McMahon has experience in higher education as well. She served on Sacred Heart University’s Board of Trustees from 2004 through 2017 and from 2021 to the present, and is currently the treasurer. Sacred Heart is the second-largest Catholic university in New England.
In her dedication to higher education, McMahon has worked to elevate Sacred Heart through contributions and great effort to provide better outcomes for students. She donated $5 million to the school and participated in a 60th anniversary gala to help raise funds for scholarships.
“Linda’s generosity to Sacred Heart over the years has been tremendous,” Sacred Heart President John Petillo said in a written statement. “She cares deeply about our students and understands our mission. We are grateful for her friendship. We are confident that Linda’s leadership will bring enormous value to the education system, just as it has to Sacred Heart University.”
Her time on the state’s board of education was reportedly cordial, with most votes being bipartisan and unanimous.
Bipartisanship Dissolves
In 2017, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly confirmed her in a bipartisan vote to lead the SBA.
Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, who both ran against McMahon in Senate races, had favorable comments toward her SBA confirmation. Murphy stated that she was “unquestionably qualified” to lead the SBA. Blumenthal even called her a “tireless leader and a tenacious fighter.”
Now Democrats are singing a different partisan tune.
Blumenthal says he is unlikely to vote to confirm McMahon “if she implements the Trump agenda,” which was also her job in Trump’s first administration. Murphy has oddly not been willing to speak on the issue. The left-leaning NEA is also ludicrously pushing against McMahon’s nomination because she would remove radical gender ideology from our education system and expand school choice. Both ideas are popular among the majority of Americans.
Despite the narrative parroted by Democrats, McMahon has years of experience working to provide a better education for students. Bipartisan majorities have confirmed her to two top positions over the past two decades. She is more than qualified to serve as secretary of the Education Department.
The only difference between then and now is that today Democrats and their allies are more willing to play diabolical games with their political counterparts.
Casey Ryan is a writer and investigative reporter at Parents Defending Education.
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