Former state legislator Kloucek: U.S. Senate must reject Linda McMahon’s nomination for education secretary

Sens. Thune and Rounds, please vote no on Linda McMahon’s nomination to serve as United States secretary of education. It was clear to everyone who watched the United States Senate confirmation hearing last week, Linda McMahon lacks the qualifications, experience and judgment required to head up our nation's education system. 

The secretary of education should be a champion for public schools, protecting our students from discrimination, and ensuring equal opportunity for all students and educators. Linda McMahon has no experience making decisions about K-12 education, student loans, or IEPs and special education — key qualifications to running the Department of Education. Her would-be boss has called for the elimination of the entire department! 

We need an education secretary who we can trust to protect and uplift all students. I urge Sens. Thune and Rounds to please vote NO on this nomination. Public education is the key to educating our young people and giving them a chance to better themselves and succeed in life.

Thousands of South Dakota children and millions of middle- and lower-income American children would not have gotten a quality education if not for our public schools.

 I would not have become a 22-year state legislator without the opportunity to participate as a student in the public school system in South Dakota. My parents couldn't afford the cost for our family to attend a private school. 

https://ballotpedia.org/Frank_Kloucek

Sens. Thune and Rounds, and senators from other states, please think about what you are going to do to our children if you vote for this nomination.

Please vote no.

Frank Kloucek of Scotland, S.D., was a Democratic state senator for 16 years and a state representative for six years who prided himself on helping people. A 1974 Scotland High School graduate and 1978 SDSU graduate, he and his wife Joanie farm in Bon Homme County. They have four children and nine grandchildren. He can be contacted at fkloucek@hotmail.com, 605-660-0254 or 605-583-4468.

Photo: The National Library of Education, a primary resource for education materials and data at the Department of Education, public domain, wikimedia commons