Are there political divisions or tribes at your school? There is definitely a mixture of political views. In the 2016 mock election at Traverse City West Senior High School, Hillary Clinton won by 1 vote out of approximately 500 votes cast. So the school is pretty evenly divided. What does student political involvement look like? […]

What do you do to interest students in how government works? Students at my school—like other Michigan Merit Curriculum schools—are required to pass a government class to graduate. Having a captive audience, however, is not enough. I try to engage students in a variety of ways. I move the desks at least twice a week; […]

What current events/arguments/court cases have you used to draw students into deeper learning and debate? I try to spend about 20 minutes per hour of AP Government every day to discuss current events to interest students in government. Students need to answer daily written warmup questions to show their opinions and knowledge about different topics. […]

An appeal for your activism What would it mean to have smaller class sizes in your school? Or to have additional counselors and social workers in your district to address students’ social-emotional and mental health needs? What about returning a certified librarian to every building? Equipping students with books, supplies and technology? Committing to the […]

New programs help schools address mental health, suicide crisis By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Right down to the buzz haircut, MEA member Keith Garrison looks every bit the part he plays at West Bloomfield High School. A 25-year physical education and health teacher in the district, Garrison tries to list all of the sports […]

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Tamara Reaume asked the fourth graders lying flat on exercise mats in front of her to sit on their hands with feet in the air. “Remember, your legs do not have to be straight, friends,” the Rockford paraeducator told about two dozen youngsters whose legs weaved skyward […]

Academic autonomy and professional respect were driving factors in a recent vote to unionize by faculty at Delta College near Bay City, which had been the only remaining non-union community college in the state. The win brings nearly 200 potential new members into the MEA family. After months of organizing work, 86 percent of participating […]

Because he’s a well-trained therapy dog for Brighton Area Schools, Duncan knows to go to his carpet or pillow when he enters a classroom. But one day the three-year-old yellow Labrador walked into the junior kindergarten class, spotted a little boy struggling with his emotions, and quietly settled next to the child who began petting […]