Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Thursday called for 糖心动漫vlog to contribute to a broader nationwide shift toward more civil political discourse in light of recent violence on school and university campuses, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
During a Ronald Reagan Institute event here, McMahon struck a different, more conciliatory tone from President Donald Trump and others in his administration in the week following Kirk鈥檚 killing.
She also drew attention to the continued prevalence of school shootings as evidence that the country needs to collectively improve its ability to 鈥渁gree to disagree.鈥�
鈥淭hese things are still happening,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have to make sure schools are safe. We have to wind down this discourse that we鈥檙e having.鈥�
McMahon said two other shootings took place in Colorado on the same day last week as the high-profile murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and Trump ally. One took place Sept. 10 , where two students were injured; it鈥檚 not clear which other event McMahon was referencing, and an Education Department spokesperson didn鈥檛 respond to a request for clarification.
Educators have a role to play in helping heal the nation鈥檚 divisions, McMahon said.
鈥淲e have to look at ourselves,鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淗ow can we be leaders for this? How can we, in our engagement, and show our students, if we have opportunities to be on campus or address different groups, to show that we can approach it in a very civil manner? We can agree to disagree.鈥�
McMahon on Thursday characterized Kirk as a model for sharing strong political views without being 鈥渁ntagonistic鈥� or 鈥渄emeaning.鈥� Kirk, a widely popular figure among conservatives, had an extensive history of comments .
鈥淗e could kinda get in your face a little bit. He could be aggressive in how he talked to you. But he was always civil,鈥� McMahon said.
McMahon鈥檚 comments came eight days after Kirk, 31, was shot to death in front of a large crowd of students at Utah Valley University. His murder has prompted a firestorm of debate among politicians and on social media over who鈥檚 responsible for America鈥檚 recent surge in political violence.
Trump and other administration officials in the last week have They鈥檝e floated revoking tax-exempt status for progressive nonprofits and .
Conservative politicians in numerous states have called for teachers who have said鈥攊n some cases, on social media鈥攖hat Kirk鈥檚 death was justified to face suspension or termination. (Numerous teachers and leaders of teacher organizations have condemned the killing, and called for more civility in political discourse.)
On Thursday, McMahon said some teachers鈥� and professors鈥� comments on Kirk鈥檚 murder were 鈥渉orrific,鈥� but she didn鈥檛 call for penalizing them.
鈥淲e have to teach how to disagree, hold onto your beliefs and your principles, be willing to listen because you may not always be right,鈥� she said. 鈥淏e willing to say and admit, 鈥榶ou know what, I think you鈥檙e right and I was wrong.鈥欌��
During a 40-minute onstage conversation with Katie Jenner, Indiana鈥檚 state education chief, McMahon also reiterated her push to reduce the federal government鈥檚 role in shaping K-12 education.
She urged governors in all 50 states to join the new federal tax credit program for private school scholarships.
And she lamented the downward trend of academic performance among America鈥檚 K-12 students.
鈥淲e have really sunk fast,鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e recognized it. Shame on us if we don鈥檛 grab the reins of this and make it work the way it needs to be worked.鈥�
