By Kandy Slack MSU-APA Membership Chair As membership chair of my local MEA unit at Michigan State University, I love talking with new employees about the value of belonging—and I make sure to include a benefit of membership that is sometimes overlooked: the MEA Scholarship. Since 1997 the MEA Scholarship Fund has distributed $955,000 in […]
When Ron Furgeson first joined Petoskey Schools as a custodian nearly 30 years ago, he subbed on nights for nearly a year before a longtime employee retired and he took that coveted permanent spot—allowing him to leave his factory job for a full-time role that felt more meaningful. At the time district custodians earned good […]
Ed-tech entrepreneur is veteran Utica elementary teacher This year MEA member Jonathan Marceau is watching the dream he shepherded to reality take on a life of its own out in the world. A veteran elementary teacher in Utica Community Schools, Marceau launched his award-winning app—Spelling Safari—in mid-August from an idea that has stayed with him [...]
Any successful basketball team is made up of players motivated to come to practice every day, set new goals, and achieve personal bests. Getting students excited about coming to school and learning is no different, the staff at Hughes Elementary School in Marshall has found. In 2012 the state flagged Hughes as a Focus School […]
By Deborah Robertson and Kiarra Whitelow Harper Woods School District If the opposite of divided is unified, then labor unions have a lot of work to do in the wake of the presidential election. Please understand, we are not here to cast blame or minimize disappointment at the outcome. We simply refuse to grant our […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor As a young person right out of college, MEA member Jennifer Sepetys had all she’d imagined for herself, living in Chicago with a friend and working successfully in advertising sales. But something was missing. She decided to do volunteer work tutoring kids at Cabrini-Green, a public housing project in […]
After many years under a punitive teacher evaluation system, Michigan educators got back the right to bargain the subject in 2024. MEA staff and union bargaining teams have worked tirelessly to negotiate local improvements and ensure districts are following the new law. Read your collective bargaining agreement for specifics of your district’s evaluation system, but […]
While the Nov. 5 national election was decided by a slim margin, it’s important to note Michigan voters followed educator recommendations on 75% of K-12 races. One case in point is the successful effort to elect a slate of four candidates to the Grosse Pointe Public Schools Board of Education. The four candidates backed by […]
Nominations are being accepted for several positions on the MEA ESP Caucus Executive Board. Open positions are as follows: AT-LARGE: 2 Positions — September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2028 DIRECTOR OF MINORITY CONCERNS 1 Position — September 1, 2025 to August 31, 2028 DIRECTOR BY CLASSIFICATION CUSTODIAN: 1 Position — September 1, […]
Michigan educators, no matter our political beliefs as individual citizens, are united by our shared devotion to our students and our commitment to providing them with the education they need to learn, grow and thrive. Regardless of the results of any single election, the educators who comprise the Michigan Education Association will continue working tirelessly [...]
