While Trump choice for education secretary is relatively unknown in academic circles, it is famous in another: the WWE ring.

Former wrestling mogul and billionaire Linda McMahon amazed educators by being revealed as Trump’s choice run the Ministry of Education – or, perhaps, run the operation aimed at completely removing it.

But what educational experience does she actually have?

McMahon, a major Republican donor, has more experience in business than in education and was reportedly after A position in commerce that Trump ended up entrusting to Howard Lutnick.

The billionaire served on the Connecticut school board for a year starting in 2009 after leave WWE. She told lawmakers at the time that she had always been interested in education and considered becoming a teacher, a goal that fizzled after her marriage to Vince McMahon.

She also spent years on the board of trustees of Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.

After her appointment was announced, the National Education Association claimed that McMahon lied about her education degree when she was appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Education.

The organization cited a New York Post article from 2010, who claimed that his degree was actually in French.

The association also said McMahon was “completely unqualified” to be secretary of education. “Like Betsy DeVos, McMahon has no experience in public schools and no understanding of what it takes to help every student thrive,” it read.

National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in a scathing statement that Trump’s choice shows the president-elect “does not care about the future of our students.”

“During his first term, Donald Trump appointed Betsy DeVos to undermine and ultimately privatize public schools through vouchers,” Pringle said.

“Now he and Linda McMahon are back with their extreme Project 2025 proposal to eliminate the Department of Education, steal resources from our most vulnerable students, increase class sizes, eliminate education programs, vocational training, making higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle-class families, eliminating special education services for students with disabilities, and endangering student civil rights protections.

The association called for The Senate rejects his nomination.

Others agreed with the educational association’s sentiment.

“America’s schoolchildren and students deserved a Secretary of Education who brings deep education experience to this position,” said Shaun Harper, professor of education, public policy and business at USC. THE Los Angeles Times.

“Instead, they found a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive. This is embarrassing and a slap in the face to our country’s talented educators.

But other educators called for restraint.

Rick Hess, director of education policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said he would withhold judgment until he knows more about McMahon.

“I don’t know McMahon. I look forward to hearing more about his perspective in the coming weeks. Those looking for celebration or reflective condemnation should look elsewhere. That said, after the admirable performance of “outsider” Betsy DeVos and the profound incompetence of veteran school administrator Miguel Cardona, I would avoid crude assumptions based on biography,” he said in a statement posted on x.

Meanwhile, Connecticut Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, who defeated her in the 2010 and 2012 U.S. Senate elections respectively, congratulated McMahon after Trump announced his choice. Blumenthal called her “a person of serious accomplishments and abilities,” while Murphy said she was a “talented and experienced businessman.”

McMahon ran twice for a U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut, losing both times.

As a loyal Trump supporter, he chose her to lead the Small Business Administration during his first term. The agency provides loans and disaster relief to businesses and entrepreneurs, and monitors officials’ compliance with contract laws.

In 2019, McMahon became chair of the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action and she serves as board chair of the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank.

Meanwhile, her husband Vince McMahon – from whom she is now separated – is currently facing serious accusations of sexual misconduct and human trafficking.

They are both named in a civil suit by anonymous plaintiffs who demanded Ringside announcer Melvin Phillips Jr used his position in WWE to “groom and abuse” the “ring boys.” McMahon’s attorney called the suit “meritless.”

In what could perhaps indicate her position if approved for education secretary, McMahon agrees with Trump’s War on Wokeness.

“Our waking environment is too present,” she said last month on the Lou Holtz show podcast. “There’s too much emphasis on DEI.”

However, she went on to say, “Now diversity, equity, and inclusion are important. I believe everyone should have the same opportunities, everyone should be treated the same.

The Associated Press contributed to this report