By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Retired MEA Lobbyist Christina Canfield used to get asked by members in her training sessions at conferences what was the hardest part of her job? Was it watching a vote in the Legislature go the wrong way — as when Republicans rammed through right-to-work laws in 2012? No, she […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Michigan’s labor movement, including the Michigan AFL-CIO, UAW and the Michigan Education Association, issued the following joint statement on Governor Whitmer’s veto of the stalled bills: “Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s veto of these nine bills, following a long legal battle waged by leaders in her own party, betrays democratic values and abandons […]
By Chandra Madafferi, President & CEO, Michigan Education Association As America turns 250, we should acknowledge the critical role public education has played in making our nation the global leader it is today, and why we as a country must recommit ourselves to strengthening every single school — so that every single student has a […]
The Michigan Education Association is pleased to announce the recommendation of Eli Savit for Attorney General. Throughout his legal career and his recent service as Washtenaw County Prosecutor, Savit has shown he believes in the power of public education to change lives and communities. That’s why MEA’s Statewide Screening & Recommendation Committee recently voted to […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Never as a journalist in metropolitan Kansas City, nor an assistant professor at a mid-size public university in Missouri, did MEA member Matt Bird-Meyer get a kiss from comedian and late-night talk host Stephen Colbert. Bird-Meyer notched that unbelievable experience after becoming a professor of journalism and humanities at […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor A compelling charcoal drawing titled “Eyedentity,” selected as Best in Show at this year’s 62nd MEA/MAEA Art Acquisitions Purchase Exhibition, was inspired by a Social Security application, says the Fraser art teacher who won the top award. MEA member Andrew Monroe said he created the artwork after filling out […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 20, 2026) Contact: Matt Hamilton • matthamilton@ejps.org • 616-916-6569 For 18 years, Shoe Club Nation lived in a single Michigan middle school classroom. This past school year, it lived in four. Today, founder Matt Hamilton announced that the program will expand to ten additional Michigan schools for the 2026-27 academic year, […]
The Michigan Education Association announced the recipients of the 2026 MEA Scholarship on Monday, honoring exemplary public school students from across the state who will be attending a Michigan public university in the fall. The MEA Scholarship Fund Trustees selected 24 new award recipients, each receiving $2,000. In addition, 22 already enrolled in college will […]
MEA’s Statewide Screening and Recommendation Committee, comprised of everyday educators from across Michigan, met on Saturday, May 9 to interview candidates for governor and then discuss potentially recommending a candidate for the gubernatorial election. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson accepted MEA’s invitation to participate […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor For MEA member Brian Dalton, everything he’s learned about life — and teaching middle school kids — can be summed up in a project that he’s worked on since January and will culminate in a sold-out public performance on June 2 at The Roxy Rochester. Preparations inside his classroom [...]
