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China and Russia Condemn U.S. Strike on Iran—but Stay on the Sidelines

China and Russia Condemn U.S. Strike on Iran—but Stay on the Sidelines

Voter registration

With Ranked Choice Voting in NYC, Women Win

Just the Facts: Canadian Tariffs - June Update

Just the Facts: Canadian Tariffs - June Update

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Threatens Democracy and Federal Deficit

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Threatens Democracy and Federal Deficit

Linda McMahon Confirmed as Trump's Secretary of Education

Linda McMahon Confirmed as Trump's Secretary of Education

Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Education, testifies during her Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC.

(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Hugo Balta
By Hugo BaltaMar 04, 2025
Hugo Balta
Hugo Balta is a journalist, educator, and communicator. Hugo is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the parent organization of The Fulcrum. He is the publisher of the Latino News Network, a trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network, and an adjunct professor teaching journalism courses.
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On Monday, the Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the new U.S. Secretary of Education in a 51-45 vote along party lines.

McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive and head of the U.S. Small Business Administration during President Donald Trump's first term, takes on the role amid the administration’s stated goal of dismantling the department. While the White House has already implemented staff and program cuts, formally eliminating the department would require congressional approval, as it was established by an act of Congress in 1979.

At her confirmation hearing, McMahon sought to distance herself from Trump’s harsh rhetoric, stating that the goal is to make the Education Department "operate more efficiently" rather than defund programs.

In a statement announcing her nomination, Trump expressed confidence in McMahon’s leadership, stating that she will "empower the next generation of American students and workers and make America number one in education."

The Department of Education, one of the smallest federal agencies, primarily oversees funding for K-12 schools, including Title I for low-income students and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with disabilities.

A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that 63% of respondents oppose closing the department, while 37% support the idea.

At 76, McMahon is an unconventional choice for the position. A billionaire and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, she has limited experience in education leadership beyond serving a year on Connecticut’s state board of education and as a longtime trustee at Sacred Heart University.

Supporters view her as a capable executive poised to reform what they see as an ineffective agency, while critics argue she lacks the necessary qualifications and warn that her budget cuts could negatively impact students nationwide.

Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum and a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, the parent organization of The Fulcrum. He is the publisher of the Latino News Network.

SUGGESTION: Project 2025: Department of Education

Students raising their hands in a classroomThe New York Times reports that Elon Musk’s cost-cutting initiative announced $900 million of cuts at the Education Department, apparently aimed at hobbling the Institute of Education Sciences—the department’s research arm. dolgachov/Getty Images

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Trump Takes U.S. to War

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation accompanied by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Photo by Carlos Barria - Pool/Getty Images

Trump Takes U.S. to War

Washington — President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening that the United States had launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, describing the operation as a "spectacular military success."

In a televised address, he stated that key Iranian nuclear enrichment sites had been "completely and totally obliterated". He warned that any future attacks would be "far greater and a lot easier."

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MAGA’s War on the Social Fabric
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rarrarorro/Getty Images

MAGA’s War on the Social Fabric

In the first article of this series, we explored how the collapse of civil society left Americans vulnerable to authoritarian appeals. Here, we look at why those same civic institutions—newsrooms, libraries, unions, school boards—are the first targets of authoritarian movements.

Voting, while important, doesn’t keep democracy alive. It needs places where people gather in person to solve problems, such as school board meetings, union halls, local newspapers, block clubs, libraries, and faith-based nonprofits. These institutions form what social scientists call civil society—a network of voluntary groups that connect people with government. They are where democratic habits are learned: negotiation, compromise, listening, and the capacity to see one’s neighbor not as an enemy, but as a fellow citizen.

Americans once had these civic skills in abundance. Alexis de Tocqueville noted that America’s genius for democracy came not from its laws or geography, but from its unrivaled ability to form associations. Today, these associations create what Robert Putnam called bridging social capital—relationships that connect people across lines of difference. This is the social fabric that democracy needs to breathe.

But that fabric is fraying. And when it frays, so do the habits that make pluralism possible.

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We Need Critical Transformational Leaders Now More Than Ever

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) listens at a news conference following the weekly Senate Democratic policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2025, in Washington, DC.

(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

We Need Critical Transformational Leaders Now More Than Ever

The image of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla—handcuffed and dragged away while advocating for immigrant rights—is more than symbolic. It’s a chilling reminder that in America today, even the highest-ranking Latino officials are not immune from the forces of erasure. This moment, along with ICE raids in Los Angeles, an assault on DEI in education, and the Tennessee Attorney General’s lawsuit seeking to dismantle funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), signals a coordinated assault on Latino dignity, equity, and belonging. These are not isolated events. They are part of a broader backlash against racial justice, driven by white supremacy and an entrenched fear of demographic and cultural change.

As a scholar of race, leadership, and equity in higher education, I know this moment calls for something deeper than mere outrage. It calls for action. We need what I call Critical Transformational Leaders—individuals who act with moral courage, who center justice over comfort, and who are unafraid to challenge systemic racism from positions both high and humble.

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Proposed Child Tax Credit Changes Could Push Millions of Kids Into or Deeper Into Poverty
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Photo by Jane Maple on Unsplash

Proposed Child Tax Credit Changes Could Push Millions of Kids Into or Deeper Into Poverty

WASHINGTON–Changes to the Child Tax Credit in the House reconciliation bill would strip benefits from millions of children in immigrant and mixed-status families, while expanding credits for wealthier households, economists said.

“If you were concerned about children’s well-being, you wouldn’t be looking for excuses to remove children from the Child Tax Credit and push them into poverty,” said Adam Ruben, Director of Economic Security Project Action.

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