By Brenda Ortega, MEA Voice Editor Michigan Education Association The words are displayed everywhere in the Oxford community, waving in makeshift yard signs, scrolling on digital displays along major thoroughfares, written on signs lining windows and sidewalks downtown: Oxford Strong. But what does it mean? Dr. Jim Henry, a nationally recognized expert on the effects of trauma, […]
Ted DeChane, PhD, is a physical therapist in Mt. Clemens who works with about 30 children a year who have physical and health impairments. Now the 31-year-old is coping with a chronic health problem—Long COVID—but continues working and fundraising for a new playground for his students. What is your role in the school district? I […]
School bands, orchestras and choirs around the country recorded performances of the Oxford fight song as a show of support after the tragedy. More than 80 videos were posted in the span of two weeks during December that showed bands, orchestras and choirs from Michigan to New York, North Carolina, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and more performing […]
Click to view online. In this issue: Above and Beyond: Musicians show support for Oxford After Oxford ‘Normal is not a thing right now’ Teachers Describe Responses to Harrowing Attack ‘This will not be what defines Oxford’ Trauma Expert Leads Recovery in Oxford Meeting the Mental Health Challenge School Counselors Confront Crisis School Social Worker: […]
In her February Labor Voices column in the Detroit News, MEA President Paula Herbart made the case that educators and parents need to stand together against efforts to divide them, since the parent-educator relationship is critical for student success. There are a variety of divisive bills introduced in the Legislature that fit that description. “Some […]
Results of 2,600-educator survey show need for Whitmer budget proposals addressing educator shortage and student mental health EAST LANSING – The Michigan Education Association today released a statewide survey of nearly 2,600 educators, with the vast majority of those surveyed saying the state’s acute educator shortage and its impact on students is the most pressing […]
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is proposing the largest funding increase for public education in 20 years, with proposals to recruit and retain educators, increase per-student spending, rebuild mental health supports, expand preschool access, and fund school construction and renovations. In addition, the governor’s budget, presented to lawmakers Wednesday, proposes 5% ongoing increases for the state’s colleges […]
In the wake of the deadly shooting at Oxford High School, Republican leaders in the state House have formed a bipartisan committee to explore ways to improve school safety. The panel will look at how to improve safety protocols at schools and to assess and improve student mental health. Meanwhile, Democrats have introduced several bills […]
Educators and parents are an essential team for helping students achieve their full potential. But some politicians want to drive a wedge between parents and their children’s teachers in hopes of securing short-term political gain. If left unchecked, these dangerous ploys — in which political extremists create artificial controversies — can cause long-term harm to […]
A third of surveyed districts have had multiple days this school year where student attendance fell beneath the required 75% requirement, forcing some schools to close and others to risk losing state funding– despite staying open for in-person learning. In a Monday press release, MEA and other education organizations explained why lawmakers must take urgent action to […]
