AFT's Randi Weingarten: We'll Work With McMahon (Connecting the Dots: Randi Weingarten & Soros Funding)
Newsmax.com
By
Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, 20 November 2024 09:42 AM EST
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/aft-randi-weingarten-linda-mcmahon/2024/11/20/id/1188784/
American Federation of Teachers President Randi
Weingarten,
commenting on the nomination of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education, said
the organization will work with her or anyone "who puts the aspirations of
our students, families, and communities first."
"That
means strengthening public education, not undermining it," Weingarten
posted on X Wednesday
while sharing her statement
about the nomination. "Voters made it clear that's what they
wanted in November's down-ballot elections."
Trump
on Tuesday nominated professional wrestling mogul McMahon to
helm the Education Department. She led the Small Business Administration from
2017-2019 during Trump's first term in office.
McMahon
had been under discussion to head the Commerce Department until Trump offered
the role to Wall Street executive Howard Lutnick, reports The New
York Times.
Weingarten
said in her post that the job of education secretary "should not be a
consolation prize," but added that the AFT is "pleased that Linda
McMahon wanted to teach in her early life and that her work on the Connecticut
State Board of Education led to her interest in literacy and building career
pathways."
McMahon
was on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and spent
years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She
has also expressed support for charter schools and school choice.
Weingarten
added that the AFT is looking forward to learning more about McMahon.
"If
she is confirmed we will reach out to her as we did with Betsy DeVos at the
beginning of her tenure," she said in the statement. "We hope
[President-elect] Donald Trump means it when he says he wants a focus on
project-based instruction, career and technical education and apprenticeships.
This will improve education and job options, making schools more relevant and
engaging for young people."
However,
Weingarten said the organization questions the future of some of the incoming
administration's "popular ideas," and is concerned about whether the
Trump White House will follow through with plans to close the Department of
Education.
If
that happens, she said, that will leave "in doubt a federal-funding
lifeline that disproportionately goes to children in need, children with
disabilities, and young adults who are the first in their families to go to
college."
College
has been the "engine to innovation and opportunity in America,"
Weingarten added, as well as growth, improvement, and strengthening
communities.
"[This
is] why we fight so hard for young people to be able to attend without
pauperizing student debt, and for educators to have the academic freedom and
support they need for our young people to soar," she added.
Weingarten
added that the AFT still has several questions about McMahon as secretary.
"Will
Linda McMahon support us as we teach students to read?" she said.
"Will she protect kids and families, so that everyone in a school feels
welcome and can learn? We don't know the answers to these questions. And while
we expect that we will disagree with Linda McMahon on many issues, our devotion
to kids requires us to work together on policies that can improve the lives of
students, their families, their educators, and their communities."
The
AFT represents 1.8 million teachers for grades pre-K through 12, as well as
paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty
and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses
and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.
Connecting
the Dots:
Rhonda Weingarten (Randi)
was the president of the United Federation of Teachers, is the
president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a director
at the Economic Policy Institute, a director at the Drum
Major Institute for Public Policy and an overseer at the International
Rescue Committee.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder
for the Economic Policy Institute, the Drum Major Institute
for Public Policy and the International Rescue Committee.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Resources:
Past Research
Teachers'
Union President Sparks Reaction After Meltdown in Front of Supreme Court
(Connecting the Dots: Randi Weingarten & Soros Funding, Networking) (Rhonda Weingarten (Randi) & Soros Funding, All
Networking)
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