Amid critical educator shortages, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is focused on delivering support and resources in her proposed education budget for next fiscal year with plans to use ongoing state revenue increases to shore up public schools as they respond to ongoing effects of the pandemic. In contrast, Republican leaders in the House and Senate issued […]
By Jo Bird MEA-Retired When I was a teacher in Zeeland for 31 years, I continued learning and growing throughout my career. Now that I am retired, I keep on fighting for public education. I will never stop, and I hope everyone reading this will join me in this important election year. A lot of […]
Katie Hillyard tried not to be an educator. As a teen, the MEA member didn’t want to be just like her parents – both music teachers in the Grand Rapids area who are now retired. But when it became clear in college she was drawn to the profession, Hillyard followed her calling and today is […]
Steve Galvan wants people to understand educators are on the front-lines just as health care workers have been, “and we too are digging our claws deep into the dirt and holding our ground, because those students need us now more than ever,” he said. “Our students may not come from a two-parent home. They may […]
MEA member Leya Woods is concerned about the lack of teachers and administrators who come from minority populations across many school districts in Michigan and the message it sends to students of color sitting in all of those classrooms. The problem is especially striking when comparing the number of support staff who are people of […]
In February, MEA 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 issue facing Michigan schools. Ninety-one percent of respondents said they were extremely or very concerned about the educator shortage, followed by concerns […]
A group from MEA’s Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) designed a multi-layered project for March is Reading Month that gave children from several elementary classrooms across the state a window into another culture, which in turn helped them look more closely at their own communities. Members of the AEM Social Justice Committee designed the project […]
Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) members promoted March is Reading Month with a unique program motivated by a desire to show that even small efforts toward social justice can have a big impact. Supported by an NEA Create grant, members of the AEM Social Justice Committee demonstrated their dedication to both literacy and advocacy in […]
MEA member Isaac Perry of Huron Valley Schools has won the Moveen Prize in Humanities, an annual award presented by Lynch & Sons Fund for the Arts, for his work as a community volunteer, advocate and organizer. Perry, English department chair at Lakeland High School, was honored for numerous community efforts he has led, including […]
One of the things that becomes apparent in reading this issue of the Voice is how much expertise and caring MEA members bring to the table. We know our kids, our schools, our communities and – most of all – our profession. The question is when will our understanding, knowledge, and dedication to students be […]
