More than 100 MEA and AFT Michigan members and leaders held a candlelight vigil outside the Capitol on Wednesday evening and later went inside to lobby their representatives and watch from the gallery as a controversial A-F school grading bill narrowly passed the state House in amended form. In other action, the chamber approved HB…
EAST LANSING – The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding the State House’s passage of HB 5526: “Early this morning, the House of Representatives passed another so-called ‘education reform’ bill that does nothing to support struggling schools or increase student achievement. HB 5526, mandating A-F letter grades for Michigan schools, would abandon…
A bill to keep standardized test scores from taking on even greater importance in the lives of teachers and students in Michigan passed the state House on Wednesday following a months-long push by MEA and other education groups. Hundreds of educators and parents have contacted legislators in support of House Bill 5707, a measure that would keep…
An unsettling experience being trapped on an elevator in the Michigan Capitol morphed into a moment of inspiration for four Ypsilanti high school students touring the Capitol with classmates and their government teacher, a local MEA leader. The Lincoln High School students were part of an all-female group observing the Legislature on Tuesday during the…
Once more in 2018, it’s time to show our solidarity as educators and wear #RedForEd on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Dec. 12, educators across the state will wear red to show our solidarity as the lame duck Legislature considers bills that will harm students and school employees alike. After school, educators will be gathering in Lansing…
A new “shadow State Board” and a “cafeteria-style” school voucher program could be created if the House passes so-called “innovative schools” legislation. New intel is that the bills could come up for a vote on the House floor TODAY. Please call or email your lawmakers TODAY and urge them to oppose HBs 6314-6315. In concert with the proposed A-F…
MEA has learned that the House Education Committee will take up the union release time legislation (SBs 795-796 and HBs 6474 and 5368) at their next committee meeting tomorrow morning. They may have the votes to pass that legislation on to the House floor for action. However, our lobbying efforts with State Representatives are working! There…
EAST LANSING – Republican State Board of Education member Tom McMillin today joined MEA President Paula Herbart in urging legislators not to move forward with passage of HB 5526, creating a new “A-F” school grading system. “This new grading scheme will do nothing to improve low performing schools nor will it increase student achievement. However…
By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association In December 2017, the Pew Center for Research released its latest poll measuring citizens’ trust in government, showing 18 percent of Americans trust the government to do what is right—an all-time low. That compares to the same poll from 1958 when 75 percent of citizens trusted government. Our…
After nearly five months without a new contract, the Ferris Faculty Association (FFA) reached an agreement with the Ferris State University Board of Trustees. The agreement was the result of a strong campaign of continuous pressure on the board and university president, which included a one-day strike on the first day of classes. Other actions by…
