The newly confirmed Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, has declared that the Department of Education's most significant contribution to the nation's children will be its own reduction.
McMahon, who was confirmed by the Senate on Monday, has made it clear that the era of the department's bureaucratic stranglehold on education is coming to an end.
In a statement of first principles posted on the Department of Education's website, McMahon outlined her vision for the department's future. As reported by the Western Journal, she wrote, "accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education a momentous final mission quickly and responsibly." She was appointed by President Donald Trump to fulfill one of his most significant campaign promises to families: the decentralization of educational oversight.
McMahon's vision aligns with that of the President, aiming to return education to the states and empower parents to choose the best education for their children. She believes that American education has the potential to be the best in the world, and should not be tainted by political ideologies, special interests, or unjust discrimination.
The Education Secretary wrote, "Parents, teachers, and students alike deserve better." She believes the department's role is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington. McMahon is committed to eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy to allow colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers to innovate and thrive.
McMahon argues that foundational change in the department is long overdue. She pointed out that since 1980, the department has distributed approximately $1 billion, yet student outcomes have consistently fallen short. She wrote, "Millions of young Americans are trapped in failing schools, subjected to radical anti-American ideology, or saddled with college debt for a degree that has not provided a meaningful return on their investment."
She also highlighted the plight of teachers, many of whom are leaving the profession after just a few years, citing red tape as one of their primary reasons. McMahon believes that the stark reality of the American education system necessitates significant changes in Washington, a mandate given by the American people through the election of President Trump.
The Education Secretary sees the department's "final mission" as a last opportunity to restore the culture of liberty and excellence that once made American education great. She outlined three major principles for the future. Firstly, parents should be the primary decision-makers in their children's education. Secondly, taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science, and history, not divisive DEI programs and gender ideology. Lastly, postsecondary education should align with workforce needs and lead to well-paying careers.
As the Department of Education embarks on what McMahon calls its "historic final mission on behalf of all students," she sees it as an opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students. She concluded her statement with a call to action, "I hope you will join me in ensuring that when our final mission is complete, we will all be able to say that we left American education freer, stronger, and with more hope for the future."
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