At the second of two June education funding rallies in Lansing on Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called out Republican leaders in the state Legislature for taking a summer recess without passing a state budget. Addressing a crowd of about 1,000 #RedForEd rallygoers on the Capitol Lawn, Whitmer thanked educators for showing up for students every […]
By Brenda Ortega Editor Like many mid-career teachers in Michigan today, English teacher Maureen Horan can document the decline of her income starting in 2011. Not only did her salary decrease that year, but new state laws deducted more money from her paycheck for health care premiums and retirement which ate into her take-home pay. […]
Since MEA’s new discount program with Staples launched late last year, members who’ve signed up have saved thousands of dollars on supply purchases. But we know many haven’t signed up yet to take advantage of the savings. That’s why Staples and 3M are sponsoring a special contest for MEA members to win a “classroom refresh” […]
Center Line math teacher Robert Boccomino retired at the end of last week after a 25-year career in education, but that didn’t stop him from showing up at the Michigan Capitol on Tuesday to fight for the future of new and aspiring educators coming up behind him. “I’m doing this for the younger teachers, because […]
June 19, 2019 By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association Unions learned an important lesson decades ago: collective action gets results. Tuesday, educators from the Michigan Education Association and American Federation of Teachers Michigan — along with parents, students, and other public education supporters — descended on the Capitol to urge legislators to “Value Students, Respect […]
Editor’s Note: Much has been written about educator demoralization in Michigan and across the country. Politicians have simultaneously cut education funding while increasing demands on schools and educators. The resulting effects have led to growing staffing difficulties, from K-12 teachers, to bus drivers, paraeducators, and higher education faculty. Declining pay and benefits. Large class sizes. […]
The following information is about the rally on Tuesday, June 18 (more information about parking and busses for the June 25 rally will be sent next week). Schedule 10 a.m. – Check-in opens at the Lansing Center, 333 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48933 11 a.m. – March to the Capitol 12 p.m. – […]
By Brenda Ortega Editor Four years ago, MEA member Brady Crites returned to teach at his high school alma mater in Rochester after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Germanic Languages and Literature and obtaining secondary teaching certification at University of Michigan. But he couldn’t return to live in Rochester. He can’t afford it. Instead 26-year-old […]
A backdoor voucher plan that failed to pass in the wild Lame Duck legislative session in December has reappeared in a pair of House Bills that got a hearing in the House Education Committee this week. HB 4626 and 4627, first introduced by term-limited Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw) last year, would create a new type […]
