Linda McMahon is poised for a confirmation hearing on Thursday regarding her potential role as head of the Education Department. However, this prospect has raised alarms among former WWE employees, their relatives, and several current and former officials in the education sector, who question her suitability for overseeing the education of over 50 million students across nearly 98,000 public and 32,000 private schools nationwide.

The primary concern relates to her dedication to protecting children and managing Title IX, which is designed to prevent student discrimination. This scrutiny comes in light of allegations from an October lawsuit claiming McMahon ignored child sexual abuse by a WWE employee during her tenure as a WWE executive. While her attorney has rebutted these claims, it’s important to note that McMahon herself is not accused of direct sexual abuse.

Kristina Ishmael, an Education Department official in the Biden administration, expressed her dismay, stating that many friends with their own trauma from sexual assault feel McMahon’s nomination is “a slap in the face.” A current employee at the Education Department, who requested anonymity for fear of repercussions, also voiced skepticism regarding McMahon’s capability to lead, citing her involvement in the lawsuit and a lack of relevant educational experience.

The October lawsuit claims that McMahon and her husband, WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, facilitated the sexual abuse and exploitation of young boys, referred to as “ring boys,” by a WWE ring announcer decades ago. “She allowed a predator to operate within her organization,” said the sister of one alleged victim, who spoke anonymously to protect the identities involved. “She had a responsibility to report this to the authorities and ensure that man was punished.”

If confirmed, McMahon will encounter a unique challenge in leading a department that former President Trump has signaled he would like to dismantle. Sources indicate that Trump is preparing an executive order for that purpose, which would necessitate congressional approval.

Top Senate Democrats, while acknowledging the lawsuit, appear more focused on policy aspects during McMahon’s confirmation hearing than the controversies associated with WWE. Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., intends to question her stance on the privatization of public education, potential teacher salary increases, and funding cuts in low-income school districts.

McMahon comes into this role with limited educational experience. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for one year in 2009 but resigned that position and her role as CEO of WWE prior to her unsuccessful Senate run in both 2010 and 2012. Her government experience includes serving as the head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first administration, and she currently holds a directorship at Trump’s media company.

McMahon, a mother of two, previously highlighted her support for WWE’s Get R.E.A.L. program during her 2009 confirmation hearing for the Connecticut Board of Education. This initiative, launched in 2001, aimed to convey educational messages to teens via WWE superstars.

In response to the allegations against her, attorney Laura Brevetti stated, “This civil lawsuit is based on allegations from over thirty years ago and contains many lies and exaggerations about Linda McMahon. She will strongly contest this baseless lawsuit and will ultimately prevail.”

Vince McMahon’s lawyer has also stated that the negligence claims in the lawsuit are unfounded. Neither WWE nor TKO Group Holdings responded to requests for comments, and the White House has not offered a response regarding the allegations against Linda McMahon.

The lawsuit, filed in Maryland state court in October, lists McMahon, Vince McMahon, WWE, and TKO as defendants. It represents five men who claim they were sexually abused as children by Melvin Phillips Jr., a ringside announcer for WWE in the 1980s, with the accusation that McMahon was aware of this abuse yet did nothing to prevent it.

According to the lawsuit, Phillips exploited his position by recruiting young boys to assist with wrestling events, only to later abuse them under the guise of mentorship. One plaintiff disclosed to NBC News that Phillips subjected him to both physical and sexual abuse, noting, “It was definitely not a safe environment for a child.” He described the excitement of participating in WWE but emphasized the danger posed by Phillips, who would use wrestling moves to harm the boys.

Following the lawsuit’s emergence, more individuals have come forth with similar accusations.

As the potential leader of the Education Department, McMahon would supervise its Office for Civil Rights, responsible for enforcing vital child protection policies like Title IX, which prohibits discrimination in federally funded schools.

During Trump’s presidency, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos undertook significant changes to campus sexual assault policies, offering more protections to accused students and limiting investigations to incidents occurring at school. In contrast, last year during Biden’s administration, the department sought to revert to policies more favorable to LGBTQ students and survivors of abuse, although a judge later overruled them.

Recently, the acting assistant education secretary for civil rights informed schools of a return to enforcing some Trump-era regulations.

Education advocates express concerns regarding McMahon’s potential leadership, especially what it could mean for the Office for Civil Rights if the department were to be dissolved. The National Education Association articulated fears that relocating this office to the Department of Justice could undermine its ability to protect against discrimination based on race, gender, and disability.

While significant education labor unions are worried about the proposed elimination of the department, others believe this could be a beneficial shift. DeVos has echoed Trump’s sentiment regarding the dissolution of the department, arguing that it complicates management and detracts from student needs.

The former ring boy who shared his experience with NBC News expressed deep unease at the prospect of McMahon heading the Education Department, stating her failure to take responsibility for the abuse inflicted upon him and others at WWE raises red flags. “She should not hold that position until she acknowledges her role and shows genuine accountability for the past,” he asserted. “What other issues might she cover up?”

Allegations of the McMahons’ awareness of claims against Phillips first emerged in the late 1980s, including Linda’s reportedly pivotal role in re-employing him after his initial dismissal in 1988. He was subsequently terminated again in 1992, receiving a sizable severance package as detailed in the lawsuit.

In previously reported deposition testimony, it was revealed that Vince McMahon admitted he and Linda were aware of Phillips’ troubling interest in minors but opted to rehire him under specific conditions. By 1992, allegations against Phillips had become public, marked by a lawsuit from Tom Cole, another former ring boy, who accused WWE and several individuals of abuse. Although Linda and Vince McMahon were not named as defendants in Cole’s lawsuit, it highlighted significant internal issues within WWE regarding the protection of minors.

Tom Cole’s brother, Lee Cole, informed NBC News that Linda had personally reached out to his brother multiple times, expressing gratitude for his silence about the abuse during her 2010 Senate campaign—an acknowledgment that factors heavily into the ongoing lawsuit.

Haunted by his brother’s final request before his tragic passing in 2021, Lee Cole hosts the podcast “Wrestling with the Devil,” where he elevates the voices of former ring boys with similar abuse allegations against Phillips. Despite his support for Trump, Lee is troubled by the nomination of McMahon to the Education Department and has reached out to Senator Sanders to express his concerns.

“I wholeheartedly support Trump, yet I am deeply disappointed in his choice of Linda McMahon for this position,” Lee stated. “In that organization, no one was immune to sexual abuse—regardless of age or gender.”