The Hypocrisy of Education Secretary Treatment: A Tale of Two Politicians

Education secretaries often face scrutiny, but the treatment they receive can be very different based on their political affiliation. Take Linda McMahon, Trump's pick for the job. She's been bashed by teachers unions and major news outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times, labeled a "Trump loyalist. " Yet, she's not a one-sided supporter. She's criticized Trump in the past but chose to work with him. Now, compare this to Miguel Cardona, the current education secretary. He's been quiet, flying under the radar. But his record isn't great. He asked schools to label concerned parents as "domestic terrorists" and made the federal financial aid process much longer, causing delays for students. Under him, school performance has also declined. Yet, unions, who he's supported, haven't made a big deal about it. Past secretaries like Betsy DeVos also faced harsh criticism from unions and media, even when her policies benefited students. It seems the problem isn't their competence, but their party. The media and unions are likely to give McMahon a hard time, just like they did with DeVos. But good policy should be independent of politics. McMahon can make a real difference despite the attacks.