Linda McMahon was confirmed as the new US Secretary of Education on Monday. The Senate approved her nomination with a 51-45 vote. Her appointment comes as the Trump administration implements changes, including rolling back diversity programs, cutting funding, and promoting school choice.

With limited experience in education, McMahon previously served on Connecticut’s State Board of Education (2009) and spent 16 years as a trustee at Sacred Heart University.

McMahon holds a bachelor’s degree in French from East Carolina University and is certified to teach the language. She entered politics after stepping down from her WWE position and ran for a US Senate seat twice, losing to Richard Blumenthal in 2010 and Chris Murphy in 2012.

Since 2021, McMahon has chaired the Center for the American Worker at the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute. In 2017, she was appointed head of the Small Business Administration. She has been a significant supporter of  US President Donald Trump, donating millions of dollars to his campaigns and serving as the head of the Small Business Administration during his first term.

During her confirmation hearing, McMahon emphasised improving efficiency rather than dismantling the Education Department. She recognised that only Congress can decide to close the department and committed to maintaining Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants for disadvantaged college students, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. However, she suggested transferring certain functions, such as enforcing disability rights laws, to the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, during his campaign, Trump pledged to close the Education Department and give its responsibilities to states. Yet, states and schools already have most of the control, as the federal government cannot set curricula. Federal funding makes up about 14% of public school budgets.

(With inputs from agencies) 

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