By Guy Page

Supporters and opponents of the Trump administration’s education agenda gathered outside the Center for Technology Essex in Essex Junction on June 3 as U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited Vermont to discuss education policy.

An estimated 40 protesters assembled along the entrance road to the school, while a smaller group of supporters held signs backing school choice and local control of education. Among the supporters were Essex Junction residents Phil Diesing, Ron Lawrence and Brett Gaskill.

Diesing held a sign reading “School Choice for ALL!” while Gaskill’s sign said “End DEI” and Lawrence’s read “Decentralize, Yes.”

The larger protest group included members of labor organizations, education advocates, socialist organizations and transgender rights supporters. Protest signs included messages such as “Linda McMahon Hands Off Our Schools,” “Support Trans Kids,” and “Do You Even Know What DEI Means?” Several participants wore red shirts bearing the slogan “Socialism is the Future,” while others carried signs from the Party for Socialism and Liberation. A Palestinian flag was also visible among the crowd.

According to observers, approximately 20 to 30 students walked from Essex High School toward the technology center carrying signs opposing McMahon’s policies. Adults participating in the demonstration remained along the entrance road.

Protest organizers used a bullhorn to address the crowd. Speakers criticized McMahon’s qualifications for the position and voiced opposition to efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the federal government’s role in education. Several signs and speeches focused on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, transgender student protections and concerns about federal education funding.

Supporters of McMahon’s visit said they were advocating for reforms they believe would improve educational outcomes and return greater authority to parents and local communities.

Diesing, who identified himself during a television interview as a member of SpeakVT, a parental rights organization, said Vermont’s education spending remains among the highest in the nation while academic performance has declined. He also criticized lawmakers for not moving more quickly to address rising education property taxes.

Speaking with local television stations, supporters argued that school choice and decentralization would provide families with more educational options and improve accountability.

Gaskill told My NBC5 that he believes the creation of the federal Department of Education under President Jimmy Carter contributed to declining academic performance nationwide and said authority should be shifted away from Washington.

McMahon has been a leading advocate of President Donald Trump’s effort to reduce the federal government’s role in education and return more decision-making authority to states, local school districts and parents. Her department has also sought to limit the use of race-based factors in certain educational programs, although several related initiatives have faced legal challenges in federal court.