Mobile Courant

Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville engaged in a dialogue with Linda McMahon, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Department of Education, during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Their discussion centered on promoting skills-based education and workforce development programs.

Senator Tuberville has been an advocate for these educational initiatives throughout his tenure on the HELP Committee. During the hearing, Ms. McMahon reiterated her commitment to preserving Title IX and protecting women's sports. Senator Tuberville recently introduced a bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which aims to make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent.

This exchange comes after Senator Tuberville's announcement that he will serve as Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Education and American Families. In this role, he intends to continue his efforts to promote workforce development programs, preserve Title IX protections for girls and young women, and empower parents in making educational decisions for their children.

During the hearing, Senator Tuberville expressed concerns about the current state of education in America: “I’ve seen it decline for forty years. It’s gotten worse.” He emphasized the importance of teaching children to read and criticized modern teaching methods such as Common Core math.

Linda McMahon shared her views on vocational training: “We are not teaching skills-based learning in our schools anymore.” She suggested revisiting vocational programs where students could earn credits through skill or trade work while still in high school.

The session was briefly interrupted by a protestor but continued with McMahon advocating for increased skills-based learning opportunities such as internships or apprenticeship programs. She also proposed more dual credits in high schools that would count towards college education.

Tuberville concluded by emphasizing the need for more teachers rather than administrators: “We need teachers... Hold them accountable and put more money in the teachers.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of several committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.