To watch the full exchange, click here.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, questioned Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Education. The Senator pressed McMahon on her views on ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or race. Below are excerpts of her remarks.
Senator Blunt Rochester: “Do you believe that any school benefiting from taxpayer dollars should be required to follow federal civil rights laws?”
Ms. McMahon: “School should be required to follow the laws.”
Senator Blunt Rochester: “Anybody getting taxpayer dollars? That’s good. So private schools should not be able to turn away a student with a disability or a student based on their religion or their ethnicity or race?”
Ms. McMahon: “Private schools aren’t taking federal dollars. So, they have the ability to say that they if they do not believe that-”
Senator Blunt Rochester: “If they did receive them, they should not-”
Ms. McMahon: “Well, if they believe that they cannot best serve that student and they’re not taking federal dollars, then they have the right not to accept that student.”
Senator Blunt Rochester: “But I’m speaking specifically…If private schools take federal dollars, can they turn away a child based on a disability or religion or race?”
Ms. McMahon: “Well, I think that there are also some public schools who are saying that they don’t have the ability-”
Senator Blunt Rochester: “It’s just a yes or no.”
Senator Blunt Rochester: “I really hope that this administration and that you will recognize that there are students, there are teachers, there are parents that need the support and the help. And we hope that you will continue as well with your support of HBCUs.”
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.