Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, who was controversially nominated in January to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Education, told the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions that foreign students boost the competitiveness of the American economy.
Schwinn mostly avoided controversy in the Thursday hearing, which also included three other of the Trump administration’s nominations, but was pressed by U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) to elucidate her stance on foreign students at American colleges and universities.
He questioned, “Ms. Schwinn, I just wanted to ask you, do you see value in having foreign students study at U.S. colleges and universities?”
Schwinn (pictured above) replied, “I appreciate the question, I think there is value in students receiving an excellent higher education, and so that would be my answer.”
Pressing the nominee, the New Jersey Democrat then referenced Schwinn’s op-ed published last year by the education website, The 74 Million, where she urged universities to spend more money researching education.
“I read a very interesting op-ed from you, you talked about the importance of [research and development]. You talked about mRNA, you talked about AI,” said Kim.
He asked, “Those are advancements that immigrants and foreign students helped our country explore, so it’s not just about the benefit for our students, it’s a benefit to the United States, to our global competitiveness, is that something you would agree to?”
Schwinn replied to Kim affirmatively, stating, “Yes.”
Her support for the claim that American competitiveness is boosted by foreign students came less than one day after President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation restricting the ability of foreign students enrolled at Harvard University to enter the country.
Harvard, according to the White House, has failed to provide information about its foreign students to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, even as the university experienced “a drastic rise in crime,” including those involving antisemitism.
The White House noted that the university’s lack of compliance also follows repeated warnings from the FBI, “that foreign adversaries take advantage of easy access to American higher education to steal information, exploit research and development, and spread false information.”
Throughout her responses in the hearing, Schwinn highlighted her time in Tennessee, stating that she emphasized local control over education while in office, and that improvements to the Volunteer State’s education system made under her tenure would not have been possible, “without Tennessee’s incredible parents.”
Schwinn was also asked about the Trump administration’s contemplation of dismantling the Department of Education by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
“I support the president’s [executive order], which is to explore all of the opportunities and options around what is in the best interest of students, including shuttering the Department of Education,” said Schwinn.
Though supported by various education nonprofits and advocacy groups, Schwinn’s nomination was met with fierce opposition from Tennessee conservatives who argued she was ineffective at keeping controversial materials and curricula out of schools.
“I met with her in person about the porn in TN schools, FOUR years ago,” wrote Tennessee-based country music artist and conservative pundit John Rich in a January post to X. “There’s STILL porn in our schools. She refused to abolish it. She is not our friend.”
Dr. Carol Swain, the academic and author, similarly cautioned the Trump administration over Schwinn’s nomination.
“Ms. Schwinn is a proponent of DEI and CRT. How is she going to help dismantle DOE and return power to state governments and parents?” Swain questioned in a post to X.Â
Swain wrote in another post to X, “My position on Ms. Schwinn is simple. We should look at her track record and not at her promises to convert to conservative views on education. Ms. Schwinn inspires zero confidence among the conservatives in Tennessee who have had to deal with her.”
If the committee advances Schwinn’s nomination, she will go before a full vote in the Senate. Should she be confirmed, Schwinn would serve under Secretary Linda McMahon.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].Â
This does not appear to be an honest person – nor were those who nominated her behind the goal of our elected president to dismantle the DOE. Who is behind this attempt to slip in someone who will do their best to thwart any real reformation of our pitiful educational establishment?
HOW IN THE WORLD IS THIS HAPPENING?