A powerful coalition of 86 civil rights and education organizations issued an urgent appeal to senators, calling for the rejection of Linda McMahon's nomination as
Maya Wiley
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, joined by 85 prominent organizations including the NAACP, National Urban League, and Human Rights Campaign, warned that McMahon's confirmation would pose significant risks to educational equity and civil rights protections for students.
In a detailed five-page letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the groups highlighted McMahon's problematic testimony during her February 13 confirmation hearing, where she acknowledged, she would need to "learn on the job" about fundamental aspects of the role.
"McMahon's defense that she hopes to learn on the job what is required of a Secretary of Education would be a disqualifying answer in any environment," the letter read. "In this moment where the threats to education are so overwhelming, and so much damage has already been done in the first few weeks of this new administration, McMahon's response is even more alarming."
The organizations expressed particular concern about McMahon's apparent inability to address how she would handle directives from President Trump or Elon Musk that might violate federal education law. They also cited her failure to unequivocally support the teaching of Black history and her lack of clear understanding of key education laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Maya Wiley, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference, emphasized the critical nature of the appointment.
“The person responsible for leading the Department of Education must absolutely be committed to enforcing federal laws on behalf of every single student in this country — without regard to immigration status, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, family income, home language, or religion,” she said.
The coalition's letter comes amid growing concern about recent executive orders from the Trump administration that advocates say threaten educational equity. These include measures affecting LGBTQI and immigrant students, restrictions on teaching certain aspects of history, and rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The groups also highlighted troubling allegations regarding McMahon's past conduct, including claims in an ongoing lawsuit about her alleged role in enabling and concealing child sexual abuse that she was obligated to prevent and address.
Major organizations joining the opposition include:
- American Association of University Women
- National Education Association
- GLSEN
- Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
- Japanese American Citizens League
- National Women's Law Center
The Department of Education plays a crucial role in implementing and enforcing civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and disability. The Secretary of Education oversees policies affecting millions of students from early childhood through graduate school.
The Senate HELP Committee is expected to vote on McMahon's nomination in the coming week. If approved by the committee, the nomination would move to the full Senate for confirmation.
The Leadership Conference emphasized that the stakes for American education have never been higher.
"Our nation's Constitution, economy, future, and children deserve no less" than a fully qualified and committed Secretary of Education, the letter concluded.
