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Newly obtained FOIA emails from Fairfield Public Schools lay bare exactly who killed U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s planned appearance at McKinley Elementary School in Fairfield, CT, on January 30, 2026.

What was supposed to be a fun, non-partisan “History Rocks!” civics event — part of the national America 250 celebration featuring game-show-style history lessons, student participation, prizes, and a quick school tour — was instead treated like a hostile, partisan invasion of the Fairfield community.

Within hours of the announcement, the visit was scrapped.

Fairfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael Testani was initially enthusiastic about McMahon's visit, and called it a "tremendous honor" to have been selected, noting that only one school in each state was chosen. He notified Board of Education Chair Jennifer Maxon Kennelly (D) and Vice Chair Nick Aysseh (R) on December 15, 2025.

The event, originally scheduled for December 19, 2025 but later moved to January 30, 2026, was supposed to include "brief remarks from leaders, student participation, and two fast-paced educational “game show” experiences—E Pluribus Unum and Founding Figures—with prizes and interactive engagement throughout."

Specific talking points were created for Connecticut highlighting facts about Roger Sherman, Jonathan Trumbull, Nathan Hale and other "revolutionary" knowledge about the state. The games featured non-partisan questions about basic civics and state history (see pp. 29-34 in the FOIA results for the full program and questions).

Superintendent Testani shared the final draft of the detailed schedule on January 28th at 2:30 PM. McMahon was scheduled to visit to three classrooms—Structured Literacy (5th grade), STEAM (4th grade), and social studies (3rd grade)—before the school-wide assembly.

At 3:20 PM on January 28th, Testani notified the full BOE about McMahon's visit.

Shortly after that, all hell broke loose.

The news leaked to parents before McKinley families received the official announcement from the district at 5:20pm on January 28th.

The first complaint arrived from PTA Board of Directors member Michelle Caruso Walker at 4:34pm.

“Please tell me that this visit is just a rumor and not true,” Walker wrote. She asked Testani to “pick another school in Fairfield” because the community and PTA were “pretty skeptical of a pro-school choice/voucher advocate” visiting McKinley.

Testani replied that the visit “is in no way political” and “has nothing to do with school choice. It is strictly a celebration, nothing more.”

Did a BOE member tip her off?

Special Education PTA Representative (SEPTA) Rhiannon Kogan was also tipped off early. She was “outraged” to learn of the visit “through the grapevine” instead of official channels. Kogan declared McKinley should not be used as a “political stage,” demanded immediate notification to all families, insisted on an opt-out for students, and pressed for assurances that ICE would not show up.

Her husband, Alexander Kogan, chimed in too, wanting to know who approved the visit; his email arrived after McKinley Principal Christine Booth posted the official announcement at 5:20pm.

Then nearly 100 complaints, including dozens of near-identical outraged emails, flooded into the BOE, Superintendent and Principal.

Key highlights from the FOIA emails:

1. Direct accusations of fascism, racism, and Nazi-adjacent ideology

• “The phrase ‘America First’ has a long and troubling history, having been used by isolationist and pro-fascist groups in the 1930s and early 1940s, including the America First Committee, which counted antisemitic and pro-Nazi sympathizers among its supporters.” (Sarah Roy, p. 499)
• Turning Point USA is “openly racist, misogynistic, and Islamophobic” and runs a “so-called ‘Professor Watch List’ intended to intimidate educators” and its "curriculum is politically driven, revisionist, and rooted in exclusionary and racist ideology. (Roy p. 499; Kristin Schulz Ager p. 596; Tom Corsillo, p. 486)
• Parent advised child "he does not need to interact with this fascist woman and if he is made to... then something that had to be redacted would happen. (Thomas Zowine, p. 520)

2. MAGA “propaganda,” “indoctrination,” and “political stunt” claims

• "The event is being sponsored by far-right organizations that promote an extreme MAGA agenda."(Hallie Levine, p. 463)
• The event is a “thinly veiled far right propaganda machine” and “holding children captive by making them sit and participate”; “well-documented anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and advocacy”; and claims of promoting an “ideological agenda” and rhetoric targeted at the “marginalized” (Phoebe Musico, p. 481; Denise Sprague, p. 473; Stacy Sorotchinski p. 476; Ager, p. 596)
• Repeated descriptions: “pure political propaganda,” “masked propaganda,” “revisionist… rooted in exclusionary and racist ideology,” and “using our children as political props.”

3. ICE / kidnapping / immigrant-targeting paranoia

• The whole visit was really just a "photo op" with the "most ethnically diverse student population in Fairfield" to cover up for the Administration "terrorizing immigrant populations and threatening all diverse families." (Kristin Welton, p. 478)
• “even bringing in ICE officials to kidnap our children… They hate public education”; “immigrants are being illegally targeted and detained by the Trump administration”...”are you trying to put McKinley on ICE’s radar?” (Allison J.D. Fallon, PTA Member, p. 644; Sara Minar, p. 482)
• Multiple parents explicitly asked: “Will ICE be present?” / “Will ICE also be allowed on school premises?” while noting the school has many immigrant families (e.g., Diane Stopford, Rhiannon Kogan-SEPTA, Laura Veneman-PTA, Lindsay Channing LaRusso, etc.).

4. Personal attacks, shame, and threats of public protest

• If McMahon’s visit isn’t cancelled, protesters will be there to “welcome” her...”we’ll be out front with signs and chants to make sure she knows exactly which side of history she and her boss stand on.” (Lucas Walker, p. 480; Cynthia Miller p. 527; Lauren Effron-PTA, p. 561; Kate Fierman-PTA, p. 624)
• “I am absolutely furious… absolutely disgusted…”; “it is a profound lapse in judgment”; “Grotesque abuse of Mr. Testani’s authority”; “the community is rightfully outraged and this will attract national attention.” (Musico, p. 481; Minar, p. 482; Gloria Domiziano p. 493; Rory Griffith, p. 611)
• “How dare you bring Linda McMahon here? … This is beyond disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourself… You better cancel this ASAP. You are going to have parents protesting outside the school on Friday and your name will be the name coming out of our mouths.” (Aimee Grayson, p. 487)

5. Broader conspiracy-style accusations and threats of "harm"

• The visit is part of a “war on education,” “dismantling the Department of Education,” and “God-centered” Christian nationalist curriculum in violation of church/state separation. (Fallon, p. 645; Allison DiFalco, p. 498; Nicole Coppack, p. 485; RTM District 9 Member Karen Wackerman, p. 526)
• Claims that the district is “bowing to the Trump agenda” and allowing “vitriol” into schools. (Ager, p. 596)
• The current administration is "harming our children through policies that remove DEI programs." (Fallon, pg. 644)

The campaign succeeded. Testani announced the cancellation at approximately 9:45 PM on January 28—just 5 hours and 25 minutes after parents received the official notice.

Rob Blanchard, Deputy Majority Leader for the Fairfield RTM - District 6, later wrote to thank the Superintendent for canceling the "politically charged" event. The Fairfield Democrat Town Committee celebrated the cancellation, too, along with First Selectperson Christine Vitale and State Rep. Jennifer Leeper.

However, not everyone was happy that Testani caved to cancel culture so quickly, including current and former Fairfield parents who said the cancellation:

• undermined free speech, civic values, respectful dialogue, and exposure to differing viewpoints; censorship. (Sean Garvey, p. 671; Jessica Szerszen, p. 636; Anton Shtufaj, p. 652)
• taught children to avoid disagreement rather than engage; "students were denied this experience due to adult political disagreement" (Michael Anderson, p. 698)
• sent the wrong message to students about tolerance and respectful discourse: being "inclusive" means excluding viewpoints you don't like. (Marie Elizabeth Rotondo, p. 678; Colleen Karolus, p. 654; Alyson Panaro, p. 725; Brian Napolitano, p. 721; Karen Stenger, p. 707)
• was driven by a politically biased "rabid" and “small faction of ignorant liberals” who denied students a “once in a lifetime experience.” (Salvatore Sapia, p. 681; Margaret Kennedy, p. 720; Michael Finneran, p. 719; Jay Bergman, CCSU Professor, p. 703; Paula Urciuoli)
• showed you bowed to mob rule (Frank Zaino, p. 655; John Merturi, p. 713; James Agostisi, p. 646)

Overall, the FOIA emails revealed how a vocal faction—many identifying as PTA leaders or highly engaged parents—successfully pressured the district into canceling a non-partisan civics program in under six hours. Students at McKinley Elementary were denied what Superintendent Testani himself had called a “tremendous honor” by a bunch folks who sound like they've been to one too many "No Kings" protests.

And as one parent pointed out, "even Dan Haar and the CT Post agrees it was a dumb move" to cancel Linda McMahon.

Here is the FOIA response:

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