Educators, Parents & Leaders Rally to Protect Students and Public Schools  

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, February 12, parents, educators, community leaders and elected officials from across the country rallied outside the U.S. Capitol – in the rain and snow – to take a stand for students and public schools. The rally took place ahead of U.S. Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing and amidst threats of a looming executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.  

If confirmed, McMahon will oversee attempts to gut public education and push vouchers that take critical funding from public schools. This will lead to significant cuts to programs that support and protect our most vulnerable and underserved students. Such actions could lead to larger class sizes, a reduction in resources for at-risk students, the loss of vital services for students with disabilities, cuts to job-training programs, increased costs for higher education, and a rollback of essential civil rights protections.  

“Americans all across this nation share our belief that every student—no matter their race or place, or the language they speak—deserves to attend public schools that are high-quality, safe, welcoming, and inclusive,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “As I travel around the country, I have heard from parents and educators that they want more resources, more opportunities that will help students live into their brilliance. They do not want to dismantle public schools and privatize them. Quite the opposite. Instead of sending money to private schools, they want us to strengthen public schools, where 90% of all children attend, not take money away from them. They want to partner with us—at the local, state, and federal levels—to make sure our schools have what they need so we can reduce class sizes, recruit qualified staff, and keep students safe.”  

In the early weeks of the Trump administration, a series of executive orders have undermined students’ protections, effectively reversing progress and moving our country backward, stripping students of their rights and opportunities. Now, before Secretary of Education nominee McMahon's confirmation hearing, parents, educators, community leaders, and elected officials rallied to protect students and public schools.    

“President Trump’s education plan puts our children at risk and has grave implications for our workforce and our economy,” said MomsRising Executive Director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “Trump is threatening to dramatically reduce public education funding and end critical programs that students, parents and educators desperately need. Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education would divert funds from public education and bring overcrowded classrooms, gutted services for students with disabilities, an end to job training programs, and even higher costs for college. America’s moms want a qualified leader at the U.S. Department of Education who will reject rightwing attacks on our schools and ensure they teach accurate history, welcome and support students of all abilities, and help all students succeed. Linda McMahon is wholly unqualified for that position.” 

Speaker after speaker shined a spotlight on the negative impact that shutting down the U.S. Department of Education would have on students, educators and public schools across the country. They raised the alarm bells about what would happen to our most vulnerable students if McMahon were confirmed as Secretary and urged elected officials to reject her nomination.  

“I'm 18 years old and I've attended public schools my whole life- my teachers and classmates made me who I am today. I'm fighting for the millions of students and teachers across the country who deserve better than a billionaire-run government,” said student and organizer Adah Crandall. “McMahon doesn't care about any of us, she only cares about lining her own pockets. We're calling on leaders to stand up for young people everywhere and reject McMahon so that we can have the education and futures we deserve.”

“Congress must reject Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education. She promises to gut public education, and she has spent years pushing policies that would defund and destroy public schools. Whether here on Capitol Hill, with legal actions and lawsuits we will file to protect students from harm, or through grassroots actions in communities across the country, we will make our voices heard. For as long as it takes, we will fight to protect our nation’s public schools and our democracy!” concluded Pringle.   

For select photos of the Rally to Protect Students and Public Schools, please click here.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org