The NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) has issued a scathing critique of Linda McMahon's nomination for U.S. Secretary of Education, warning that the former WWE
Demetria L. McCain
In a letter to Senate leadership, LDF Director of Policy Demetria L. McCain outlined four major concerns about McMahon's nomination, including her apparent support for dismantling the Department of Education, her limited educational experience, and her role in developing controversial education policies through the America First Policy Institute (AFPI).
The organization expressed particular alarm about McMahon's alignment with President Trump's stated intention to eliminate the Education Department.
"President Trump has publicly stated that he wants Ms. McMahon to 'put herself out of a job,'" McCain wrote, noting that such a move would affect programs serving over 50 million students across 18,200 school districts.
McMahon's background as a business executive rather than an educator drew sharp criticism. The letter highlighted her brief, controversial tenure on the Connecticut Board of Education, which ended in resignation after one year amid questions about her credentials. Her primary experience comes from co-founding and running WWE, with no substantial background in education policy prior to 2009.
The LDF, which won the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, raised specific concerns about McMahon's stance on teaching American history. According to the letter, she opposes what she terms "political indoctrination" in classrooms and rejects teaching about systemic racism's impact on American society. The organization argues this approach could prevent students from learning about crucial historical events like Jim Crow laws and school segregation.
McCain also criticized McMahon's support for school privatization, citing studies that suggest such policies can increase school segregation. The letter warned that diverting funds from public to private schools would disproportionately impact Black students, Latino students, and students with disabilities.
The organization expressed additional concern about McMahon's leadership role at AFPI, which she co-founded after Trump's 2020 election loss. The think tank has reportedly drafted nearly 300 executive orders and called for defunding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at universities.
Of particular concern to the LDF is the potential impact on the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which received nearly 23,000 complaints in 2024, including significant numbers related to disability discrimination and racial discrimination. The organization warns that any weakening of this office would hamper the department's ability to investigate and resolve discrimination complaints.
"If the Senate confirms Ms. McMahon as Education Secretary, she will undoubtedly undermine federal funding in public school education and key civil rights protections for millions of students," McCain concluded, urging senators to reject the nomination.
