Op-Ed: Zach Thapar and Alex Titus: The Left has run America’s education system into the ground and Linda McMahon is the perfect person to fix it

Change is needed in the American education system, and Linda McMahon is the perfect person to drive it.

President Donald J. Trump announced recently that his transition co-chair and long-time friend Linda McMahon will serve as his Secretary of Education, a critical role to help carry out the president’s historic education agenda.

By selecting McMahon, President Trump is putting a demonstrated leader and well-regarded patriot at the forefront of some of the country’s most pressing issues, delivering an early win for American voters.

As the Biden administration wraps up, the state of American education is concerning, to say the least. The Left’s efforts to foster “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) have led to catastrophic outcomes across the country, like in Seattle, where schools have eliminated honors programs while teaching that math has been “appropriated” by Western culture and used to marginalize and oppress people of color. Last year in Illinois, not a single child tested proficient in math in 67 schools statewide, while 32 schools had zero students who tested proficient in reading.

Nevertheless, schools statewide continue to practice race-based hiring and Chicago teachers unions claim that efforts to make teachers come to work are “rooted in sexism, misogyny, and racism.” At UCLA Medical School, once one of the nation’s most prestigious medical schools, race-based admissions have resulted in a “failed medical school” where up to half of students fail basic tests of medical competence.

Biological women continue to be trampled on by the Biden administration’s Department of Education’s efforts to push so-called “gender inclusivity.” Rampant anti-Semitism has plagued American college campuses over the last year, with terrorist sympathizers overtaking lawns, vandalizing buildings, disrupting classes, and blatantly targeting Jewish students with little to no repercussions, and at times even support, from administrators. The Biden administration has effectively weaponized the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to institutionalize DEI and go soft on anti-Semitism at schools across the nation.

On the campaign trail, President Trump repeatedly vowed to end the DEI and leftist gender insanity that plagues American schools, foster choice for families and school programs that prioritize merit, rather than identity, and go after universities that have devalued American higher education while allowing terrorist activists to parade around their campuses. But this is no easy task.

In short, the next Secretary of Education has her work cut out for her, and Linda McMahon is the perfect person for the job. As Secretary of Education, McMahon will be at the forefront of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce burdensome regulations on schools, crack down on race and identity-based discrimination, and return education to the states. Cleaning up the Biden administration’s mess will require effective leadership and perfect execution.

As the Chair of the Board and as Chair of the Center for the American Worker at the America First Policy Institute, McMahon has been an outspoken advocate of eliminating identity-based programs and advancing effective workforce development. Following a successful private sector career as President and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahon served in the first Trump administration as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). At the SBA, she created numerous programs to support groups such as women and military veterans, championed rural development, and improved the organization’s support of American small businesses.

With significant experience leading both private and public-sector organizations, McMahon undoubtedly has the management skills necessary to excel in this job. And her intimate familiarity with critical education issues will serve the agency well. She has, among other things, been a passionate advocate for school choice, advanced important workforce development initiatives, and ardently promoted women’s education.

McMahon has the determination, experience, and skill set necessary to lead America’s schools to prosperity, and parents and students across the country should be excited by her selection. Change is needed in the American education system, and Linda McMahon is the perfect person to drive it.

Zach Thapar is a former fellow with The Public Interest Fellowship. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. Alex Titus served as an advisor in the Trump administration.