Robert Gamer: Author & Activist

With top-drawing stars like The Undertaker, Andre the Giant, Roman Reigns and Triple H in her stable, Linda McMahon, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO, dominated the wrestling empire. In wrestling parlance, she had an A-show with an A-team.

Retiring at her peak, McMahon has now stepped into a vastly different arena. The president has appointed her as U.S. Secretary of Education—a move that raises significant questions. Certainly, her extensive experience in the world of competitive wrestling has little bearing on what is arguably one of the most challenging positions in government: overseeing the education of America’s public school students. The future of the economy depends on producing a well-educated workforce capable of competing in the global marketplace.

A billionaire, McMahon must now address how she plans to serve the interests of 26 million students living in high-poverty areas. If the economy is to function equitably, the federal government bears the responsibility of ensuring every child, regardless of economic status, receives a quality education. However, McMahon has pledged cutbacks and promoted decentralization, with her primary objective appearing to be the dismantling of the Department of Education.

Another factor of concern is McMahon’s complete lack of experience in the education sector. Not that a lack of expertise has been a concern in this administration’s other appointments. Take, for example, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lawyer with no medical training, who now heads the Department of Health. The recent deadly measles outbreak forced him to reverse his anti-vaccine stance, raising the question: How many more lives will be jeopardized by his other uninformed decisions? Then there is Chris Wright, appointed head of the Department of Energy. At a time when reducing dependence on fossil fuels is crucial to preserving the environment, Wright—a staunch advocate of oil and gas expansion, including fracking—plans to move in the opposite direction. Apparently, disregarding established science was a prerequisite for his role.

Public education in the U.S. has been federally funded since 1642, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony established the first tax-supported school system. Even then, settlers recognized that educating the young was essential for future prosperity. Today, preparing children for an increasingly technological world demands greater investment in education—not the reverse. In terms of qualifications, McMahon threatens to make what was previously considered the worst U.S. Secretary of Education in history, Betsy DeVos, look competent by comparison. In wrestling parlance, public education is about to suffer a brutal beatdown.