Latest news with #Linda McMahon
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Education Secretary Linda McMahon touts Columbia University's $200M settlement 'template'
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Columbia University's $200 million-plus discrimination settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. President Donald Trump's administration is celebrating what it considers a "historic settlement" with the university that has become the epicenter of protests rejecting the war in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. "I'm very pleased that we were able to bring those negotiations to a close and have an excellent working agreement now with Columbia. They knew they had an antisemitism problem," McMahon said ahead of her remarks at the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The settlement not only combats antisemitism on college campuses, it takes measures to remove discriminatory hiring practices and enhance campus safety, the education secretary explained. "This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well," McMahon said. Several Jewish leaders have spoken to Fox News Digital about the "existential threat" they say Jewish New Yorkers are facing since 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City. During the primary campaign, Mamdani's refusal to condemn the phrase "Globalize the intifada" and recognize Israel as a Jewish state triggered accusations he was antisemitic. He has since said he would discourage others from using the phrase and has continuously affirmed his commitment to condemning the rise of antisemitism in New York City. Yuval David, a Jewish advocate and advisor, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani, as mayor, would "enable, and more importantly, empower antisemitic protesters." In light of the Columbia University settlement, Fox News Digital asked McMahon if the Trump administration was worried about a surge in antisemitism on New York City college campuses if Mamdani is elected in November. "We didn't discuss that as part of what we were doing. We weren't looking at a specific incident that might occur in the future," McMahon explained. But the education secretary said what is most important in Columbia University's settlement is that it will "lay the groundwork, so regardless of what incidents may or may not occur, you're prepared for it." McMahon said Columbia now has a "great working relationship" with the New York Police Department (NYPD). The settlement includes Columbia's commitment to "enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department." "They won't hesitate to bring them in to make arrests," McMahon warned. "There will be consequences. People will be expelled. They'll be suspended. If there's criminal activity, they can go to jail. "The accountability factor of this agreement is incredibly strong, and that's the message we intend to send, that students on campus need to be in an environment for study."
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Hit With Massive New Lawsuit Over Efforts to Kneecap Education
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia are suing Donald Trump's administration for withholding $7 billion in federal funding for education, The Washington Post reported. A lawsuit filed Monday against Trump, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Office of Budgement Management Director Russell Vought claimed that the Trump administration had 'caused chaos' for K-12 school districts by refusing to distribute funding to six long-standing grant programs. Those grants provide funding for after-school care for children of working parents, English classes for non-native speakers, bullying and suicide prevention, and expanding science and arts curricula. The funding also goes toward recruitment and training for teachers, which is particularly crucial as 79 percent of public schools nationwide have reported difficulties with hiring in the last year. When the funds were expected to roll in at the beginning of July, the Department of Education notified states that the money was under review for compliance with Trump's agenda, and OMB stated that it was investigating if the funds had been used for a 'radical leftwing agenda.' The plaintiffs, who sought relief for their own states, alleged that by freezing the funds, the Trump administration had overstepped Congress's power of purse, violating the Impoundment Control Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. 'The federal government cannot use our children's classrooms to advance its assault on immigrant and working families,' said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. 'This illegal and unjustified funding freeze will be devastating for students and families nationwide, especially for those who rely on these programs for childcare or to learn English. Congress allocated these funds, and the law requires that they be delivered. We will not allow this administration to rewrite the rules to punish the communities it doesn't like.' The lawsuit was joined by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Solve the daily Crossword
