Educators Blast Education Secretary Linda McMahon Over AI Classroom Remarks on CNN
Key Takeaways
- •McMahon said students often spend the first two hours of the school day on computers and framed that as a positive use of technology.
- •She acknowledged that there are not many metrics available yet to evaluate AI in classrooms.
- •The interview intensified debate over how quickly schools should adopt AI tools.
- •Teachers and education advocates criticized the comments on social media, arguing that AI should not replace classroom teachers.
- •Critics also pointed to concerns about screen time, data use, and the absence of long-term evidence on effectiveness.
Educators across the country reacted angrily on Sunday after Education Secretary Linda McMahon fumbled a question about classroom technology during a CNN interview.
McMahon, who founded World Wrestling Entertainment with her husband, Vince, told CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday's broadcast of "State of the Union" that students often spend the first two hours of their school time on their computers. She described that as a good thing, saying the students effectively have a "one-on-one" tutor. Her comments on the use of artificial intelligence, however, stunned several educators.
Bash asked McMahon whether using AI in classrooms makes students "guinea pigs for chatbots," given that there is little evidence of the technology's long-term effectiveness.
"There aren't a lot of metrics available now," McMahon acknowledged.
The exchange landed in a broader debate over how quickly schools should adopt AI tools, with teachers, administrators and policy groups still weighing the promise of personalized instruction against concerns about screen time, data use and whether technology can support, rather than replace, classroom teaching.
The remarks sent several teachers over the edge on social media.
"This is exactly how AI should not be used in the classrooms," Sari Beth Rosenberg, a history teacher and "AI brain" at Share My Lesson, posted on X. "They want to find a way to eliminate public schools altogether. A first big step is replacing teachers with tech, and this only hurts America's kids. Also, if you talk to kids, they don't want AI \u0026 humanoids replacing their teachers."
"As an educator of 19 years and high school teacher for 17, I can say this is absolutely wrong and Linda had no business leading anything related to education," Matt Walton, a former teacher at North Carolina State University, posted on X.
"Such a double message- she's hyping AI and Alpha schools but expressing reservations on screen time \u0026 need for more evidence," Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters, posted on X. "MAGA faithful are caught in a contradiction as the backlash vs Ed tech grows from both left \u0026 right."
"The US Education Secretary, formerly known for her role as a wrestling promoter, is intent on dumbing American education down to an even dumber level. She is succeeding," John O'Brennan, a professor of European politics, posted on X.
Aaron Rupar shared a clip of the exchange on X:
Linda McMahon on successful uses of AI in classrooms: "The first couple hours every day students really have on headphones, they're in front of their computers, they're getting their subjects fed to them ... the beauty of that is the student almost has a one-on-one tutor ... I… pic.twitter.com/GS7nVcVvdS — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 23, 2026
