McMahon’s misconduct allegations concern advocates for student safety

If she becomes education secretary, Linda McMahon could revise Title IX rules that serve to protect students from sex discrimination, including sexual violence.

by Nadra Little, for The 19th

Education leaders and advocates are speaking out against Linda McMahon, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to become education secretary, as a sexual misconduct lawsuit involving the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) garners increased interest.

In October, attorneys filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of five men accusing McMahon and her husband, WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, of ignoring the sexual abuse by a male WWE employee that they endured as teen boys during the 1980s and 1990s. The men worked as “ring boys” who set up and broke down wrestling rings at WWE matches. They allege that WWE officials knew about the abuse they experienced but did not intervene.

“The sexual misconduct lawsuit — it's going to get a lot of scrutiny, and I'm very troubled by those allegations,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the labor union representing 1.8 million members. “She's going to have to respond to them, about whether or not she was complicit in hiding or in covering up sexual assault. How can you be the head of education in America [with these allegations]? It's antithetical, right?”

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