Having spent 40 years as a coach and educator, I've long said that young people are our country's most precious commodity. If we get everything else right but neglect to properly teach and train our young people, our country has no future. Or at least not a future that many of us would care to live in.

Education, after all, is the key to unlocking opportunity. Many of our Founders, especially Thomas Jefferson, noted this in their letters and speeches. They believed that for our Republic to remain free, education must be regarded as a serious responsibility by every citizen. It is our civic duty to educate ourselves about civics, history and the values we hold dearly.

In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the Department of Education is failing our young people in each of these categories. Instead, it has functioned as a woke indoctrination machine, not an education system that prepares young people for successful lives or good-paying jobs. Rather than giving students the tools to succeed, it is setting them up for failure — and our country as a result.

Linda McMahon, President Trump's pick to lead the Department of Education, sees clearly what the Department of Education has become. She has a long history of fighting for our students to get the best education possible. She served on the Connecticut School Board and has served on the board of Sacred Heart University for 20 years. But most importantly, she won't be afraid to shake up the status quo at the Education Department. When we met earlier this month, we discussed some of the changes she would like to see implemented.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs and HELP Committees.