EAST LANSING – The Michigan Education Association announced Friday the recommendations of Kristen McDonald Rivet for the 8th Congressional District and Jessica Swartz for the 4th Congressional District. “At the local level, MEA members interviewed the candidates and have made careful decisions to recommend in these races because our students need members of Congress who’ll stand up for them,” said…

EAST LANSING – The Michigan Education Association announced Thursday that it recommends the candidacies of Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and Kimberly Thomas for the Michigan Supreme Court this November. “Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and Kimberly Thomas are committed to equal access to justice and ensuring everyone is treated with fairness and respect, and that’s why the educators who comprise the…

By Chandra Madafferi MEA President Chandra Madafferi addresses young aspiring educators at the inaugural Educators Rising conference at Wayne State University Ever since I could stand, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. My dad bought a few desks and an old chalkboard and put them in our basement. I even have funny memories of creating “lesson plans” for…

Students deserve a stable environment where they can count on having a fully qualified teacher in their class from the start of the year to the last day. EAST LANSING — Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi released the following statement Wednesday in response to the Flint Board of Education’s monthslong refusal to ratify a settlement agreement reached between Flint…

By Chandra Madafferi Certified school librarians across Michigan are doing amazing work to help increase literacy rates and spark a love of reading among students. As a state, we must work to ensure every student has access to a certified librarian in their school. Certified school librarians run vibrant programs that allow students to learn more about the world around…

EAST LANSING – The Michigan Education Association announced Wednesday the following recommendations of candidates for Michigan Congressional districts: 3rd District: Rep. Hillary Scholten 6th District: Rep. Debbie Dingell 7th District: Curtis Hertel Jr. 10th District: Carl Marlinga 11th District: Rep. Haley Stevens 12th District: Rep. Rashida Tlaib 13th District: Rep. Shri Thanedar “MEA members at the local level have carefully…

By Chandra Madafferi More than ever, our kids need a running start at a high-quality public education and a boost as they graduate from high school to prepare for the competitive modern workforce. It starts in preschool, which provides the building blocks for student learning and development of essential social skills to last a lifetime. It continues in our K-12…

Governor Gretchen Whitmer EAST LANSING — Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi, a teacher from Oakland County, issued the following statement Wednesday in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address: “Gov. Gretchen Whitmer again showed tonight why she’s the most pro public education governor Michigan has ever seen. The governor’s plan to provide every student with universal…

By Chandra Madafferi I feel optimistic when meeting first-year educators, who tell me they are excited and ready to face the future. Many say they still chose to go into the profession despite others trying to talk them out of it. These are educators we desperately need to keep – for the sake of our students. Thankfully, we are seeing…

By Chandra Madafferi One of the most important things we can do during the holidays is take time to practice gratitude and remind ourselves of all that we are grateful for. This holiday season, Michigan educators, parents and supporters of public education have a lot to celebrate. Thanks to the hard work of Michigan Education Association members working together as…