On the recordMarch 3, 2025
the Senate will soon vote to confirm Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education. I know that some people feel that the Secretary of Education should have extensive experience in a school system; however, it is important to remember that education is still mostly a State and local responsibility. There is no such thing as a Federal superintendent of schools. The U.S. Department of Education doesn't run any schools. Our many public school systems in this country do not report to Washington, DC, and Washington also has no authority over what is taught in our schools around the country. The job description of a Secretary of Education is to manage a bureaucracy that runs a number of funding programs. By all accounts, Linda McMahon did a great job running the Small Business Administration in the last Trump administration. I have no reason to believe that she cannot run the Department of Education. I think she understands the difference between the State and Federal role in education. I also expect that she understands the difference between the executive and legislative branches when it comes to the serious policymaking of education. Congress passes the laws and holds the power of the purse. We have also the responsibility to make sure that laws are faithfully executed by the executive branch of government. I expect Linda McMahon to respond to all the congressional inquiries in a timely and responsive manner.
