CTU Responds to Project 2025’s Secretary of Education Confirmation Hearing

In response to the confirmation hearing of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following,“Today’s hearing made clear that Donald Trump is not trying to roll the country back to 1950, he is trying to rol…

In response to the confirmation hearing of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following,

“Today’s hearing made clear that Donald Trump is not trying to roll the country back to 1950, he is trying to roll us back to 1850. McMahon’s dog whistles, her promotion of segregationist school choice policies, and her boss’ commitment to converting civil rights protections into tools to police students are all reversals of what formerly enslaved Africans fought for and created during Reconstruction after the civil war.

“Educators report to school every day to provide everything possible for students to succeed and we count on the Department of Education to provide financial support for schools serving children in poverty, opportunities for children with disabilities, and oversight to prevent discrimination in our schools.

“Donald Trump and whoever becomes his Secretary should think twice before dismantling the Department of Education. As a social studies teacher, it’s incumbent on me to provide a brief civics lesson: we have a system of checks and balances that prevents them from doing so. But more importantly, this isn’t an obscure federal office. This is a backbone of the government that millions of families with children in our public schools rely on.

“By continuing to come for our public schools, they are further angering the Black families who count on civil rights protections, the families of children with disabilities who rely on federal standards, the families in poverty who rely on federal support, and anyone who is sickened to see queer and transgender students targeted and bullied by the federal government.

“Education is meant to be the great equalizer for our children, not a great investment opportunity for the billionaires ransacking our federal government.

“Our union is already putting protections in our contract and asking our school district to be a partner in building a forcefield around our students. Now that Project 2025 is in the implementation phase and the Senate on its way to confirming a Secretary who will be their rubber stamp, it is now up to governors, mayors, and school districts to be leaders that fill the gap that will be left by Project 2025’s actions that protect the rights of children, support and fund their schools, and defend their education. Families should demand nothing short of it.”

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Newswire Editor.

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