Secretary of Education said he accepted responsibility for supporting “over a hundred million American children and college students who are counting on their education to create opportunity and prepare them for a rewarding career.”

The secretary outlined “three convictions” he said would guide his agenda: that parents are the primary decision makers in their children’s education; that postsecondary education should lead to well‑paying careers aligned with workforce needs; and that taxpayer‑funded education should emphasize foundational subjects rather than what he described as “divisive DEI programs and gender ideology.”

“When I took the oath of office as secretary of education, I accepted responsibility for supporting over a hundred million American children and college students who are counting on their education to create opportunity and prepare them for a rewarding career,” the Secretary of Education said.

He added, “President Trump nominated me to take the lead on 1 of his most momentous campaign promises to families, to send education back to The States and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children. These are our 3 convictions. 1, parents are primary decision makers in their children's education. 2, post secondary education should be a path to a well paying career aligned with workforce needs.”

In a second block of remarks the secretary continued, “And 3, taxpayer funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science, and history, not divisive DEI programs and gender ideology. American education can be the greatest in the world. Parents, teachers, and students alike deserve better.”

The remarks were presented as policy priorities; the transcript does not record any formal vote, rule change or specific regulatory action tied to these statements. No statutory citations or specific federal rulemaking steps were mentioned in the excerpt provided.

The secretary attributed his nomination to President Trump and framed the three points as guiding convictions rather than detailed proposals. The transcript does not identify subsequent steps, timelines, or specific programs tied to the priorities.