Trump’s Education Secretary Pick Has a Short Résumé Related to Schools | Linda McMahon is known for her many years in the wrestling world. Though her education experience is more limited than previous secretaries, she has embraced both conservative and...

The New York Times ^ | Nov. 20, 2024, 2:18 p.m. ET | Sharon Otterman

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Linda McMahon, who is President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for education secretary, has a slimmer educational résumé than has been typical of candidates for the position.

She became certified as a French teacher in college, but she married young and did not end up in the classroom. She has served for 16 years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, where a student center is named after her. She also spent just over a year on the Connecticut State Board of Education, before resigning in 2010 to run as a Republican for a Senate seat.

As a political force, however, she has been a “fierce advocate” for transforming the nation’s educational system in a way that Mr. Trump supports, he said when announcing her selection.

Chief among those policies is school choice, meaning that some money that would normally flow to public schools will instead go to families, who can spend it on private education. This was a major push under Mr. Trump’s previous education secretary, Betsy DeVos. Since then, more states have instituted this policy through taxpayer-funded voucher programs.

“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump also said Ms. McMahon’s business experience, including as the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, would help her spearhead an effort to “send Education back to the states” — a reference to one of his key education campaign pledges: to reduce or eliminate the federal Department of Education.

The platform Ms. McMahon has championed as the chair of the board at the ...

[1Old Pro]

Another great pick, I only hope she can get more done than Betsy. Choice and competition will allow the failed K-12 government schools to wither on the vine.

[rktman]

Owwwww. Its Sharon karen.

[stanne]

The med that the government school system is in Will require no more than a knowledge in how to close out a defunct toxic dysfunctional organization

[9YearLurker]

That’s plenty of credentials for a department that shouldn’t exist.

[Skwor]

If she can put her signature to pink slips and closure notices she is abundantly qualified for the position. Anything more than that and she might end up overqualified.

[MayflowerMadam]

She doesn’t need anything on her resume related to schools. What is her experience as “Hatchet Man”? This is a short-term appointment. A drive-by position.

[Mr. N. Wolfe]

What I would like to hear...

“The president’s intention is to dissolve the Department of Education. I will do everything within my power to make that happen.” ~ Linda McMahon

[nuke_road_warrior]

As usual with the NYT, the headline doesn’t match the article. Per the headline, she doesn’t have any experience, but then in the article she has plenty of education admin experience. Oh, well.

[cotton1706]

Tom Daschle had a short resume relating to medicine.

But he was nominated to be HHS secretary. Same with Javier Bacera.

[rlmorel]

I am astonished that the NYT can continue to pump out these articles.

The monkeys on typewriters must be going full speed!

[Dixie Yooper]

Anybody Trump picks for any position is a better for that job than whomever is currently in that position. And he still has many many more picks to make.

[pangaea6]

And what were Pete’s transportation qualifications?

[1Old Pro]

And what were Pete’s transportation qualifications?

He was quite capable in his home town filling holes, potholes.

[Vermont Lt]

She ran the WWE for years. She also ran the SBA.

The NY Times still thinks the DOE is about education. It is about funds dispersal.

She is pretty good at that.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

She seems perfectly suited to body-slam the living daylights out of the Dept. of Education and throw it out of the government octagon.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Ronald Reagan picked an oral surgeon to run Energy. What’s the difference?
I learned a lot from watching wrestling. Sometimes the bad guys win when they cheat.

[No name given]

Nothing.

[Blue Highway]

He’s an expert with the Hershey Highway

[ridesthemiles]

IF TRUMP is serious about closing down DEPT OF EDUCATION-—

ANY OF US HERE AT FREE REPUBLIC COULD DO THE JOB.

EVEN I WOULD VOLUNTEER TO HELP-—I have 67 years of Accounting experience