Blog
Unions join together to lobby for return of collective bargaining rights: ‘This is the way we can make change for our students’
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Five years ago when Nadia Rodriguez took a teaching job in Flint Community Schools, she knew world-changing history – the Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1937 – had played out on hallowed ground across the street from her K-3 Montessori classroom at Durant Tuuri Mott Elementary. A Flint native who […]
Take action to thank educators this Teacher Appreciation Week
The vast majority of people support their local schools and the essential work performed by educators to help students learn and grow, but you might not get that perception when you turn on cable news or browse social media. With Teacher Appreciation Week next week, there’s no better time for everyday citizens to voice the […]
Legislative budget proposals continue to rebuild education funding from pre-school to post-secondary
Earlier this year, Gov. Whitmer proposed a $20.6 billion plan for the state education budget for the coming year. This week, the State House and Senate put forward their own proposals for funding Michigan schools, with the House recommending a $19.6 billion plan and the Senate at $20.76 billion. Wherever they end up, public schools […]
COVID relief funds used to support students, educators
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic rippled out into nearly every aspect of our lives, and public education was no exception. Michigan’s students and educators have faced unprecedented challenges in the aftermath of extended periods of remote learning and emotional trauma inflicted by a worldwide pandemic. To help alleviate the impact and ensure our neighborhood […]
AEM Elects Leaders for 2023-2024
Each year in connection with the MEA Conference for Aspiring and Early Career Educators, Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) members are invited to vote for state leaders who will serve as the AEM Board of Directors. This year, we are pleased to announce our members have elected Abriana White as President and Aryana Jharia as […]
Educators and students on outing enjoy ‘brush with fame’ seeing governor at Trader Joe’s
At the end of each day, MEA member Jessi Brewer has her students think of their favorite thing from that day and text it to a parent, family member, or supportive adult at home. One day earlier this month, everyone shared the same fun news: We ran into Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at Trader Joe’s! Brewer […]
Pledging to build profession and union, Madafferi wins election as MEA president
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Promising to build the strength and capacity of both MEA and the education professions, Chandra Madafferi was elected president of the statewide association at the MEA Representative Assembly (RA) on Saturday. Madafferi, a longtime teacher in Novi Community Schools and MEA vice president since 2017, will begin a three-year […]
Novi teacher Chandra Madafferi elected MEA president
EAST LANSING — Chandra Madafferi was elected president of the Michigan Education Association on Saturday at MEA’s Representative Assembly at the MSU Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Madafferi, a longtime teacher in Novi Community Schools and vice president of the 100,000-plus member union since 2017, will begin a three-year term as president on July 15. […]
Educators enjoy member event before Bored Teachers comedy show
Last fall when Kalamazoo Education Association President Heather Reid saw an ad announcing the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour was coming to town, she applied for a small MEA grant to hold a members event before the show. Soon she heard staff in the local MEA office discussing the same idea, so they all joined forces […]