McMahon will face the task of winding down the Education Department while also escalating efforts to achieve Trump’s agenda. Already the Republican president has signed sweeping orders to rid America’s schools of diversity programs which gave favor to racial and sexual minorities. Trump has also taken steps to protect female sports from males claiming to be females. And he has promoted school choice as a way to counter failing public schools..
The Senate voted to confirm McMahon 51-45.
Created by Congress in 1979, the Education Department’s primary role is to disburse money to the nation’s schools and colleges. It sends billions of dollars a year to K-12 schools and oversees a $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio.
Trump argues the department has been overtaken by liberals who press their ideology on America’s schools.
