GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Georgetown Middle School Thursday as part of a nationwide tour promoting civics education and career pathway programs.
The visit was part of the Department of Education's "History Rocks" tour, a nationwide initiative celebrating America's upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026. McMahon focused on civics education and highlighted the school's hands-on approach to career training.
"I've been incredibly impressed with GMS this morning. I love the interaction of the students," McMahon said.
The visit featured educational games and activities centered on U.S. and Kentucky history. McMahon praised the school's practical career training programs, including plumbing repair exercises.
"I saw one section where they were practicing repairing a sink that had a clogged drain so they had to, of course, know all of the tools that they need to do that, assess the problem and make it happen. So these are not only everyday schools, but they are career opportunity learning, and I think that's incredible to see in our schools all across the country," McMahon said.
The secretary emphasized the Trump administration's belief that education decisions should be made at the local level. She also highlighted alternatives to traditional four-year college paths.
"I think that there is a whole cultural shift a little bit away from the necessity of all of going to a four year college and that we really do have pathways which we've we've seen here in this school," McMahon said.
The event was sponsored by a coalition including Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit organization. McMahon has been a controversial figure in the Trump administration as the Department of Education faces proposed funding cuts.
Georgetown Middle School was selected for the visit after Toyota, which has a major facility in Georgetown, reached out to the Department of Education. The tour comes as the administration works to shift more education control to states and local communities.
Director of Communications for the Kentucky Democratic Party, Nat Turner, provided LEX 18 will the following statement in response to McMahon's visit:
Apparently to the Trump administration, ‘returning education to the states’ means taking reading programs from them. Secretary McMahon spent the past year trying to claw back as much congressionally-approved funding from Kentucky schools as possible, sometimes giving districts less than a day’s notice to deal with millions of lost dollars. No Kentucky school should have to rely on donations to keep essential programs going, and it shouldn’t take a court order — or two, or three — for the Trump administration to give Kentucky students what they’re owed.
