NEWS & NOTES April-May 2026
ICYMI: Member lives Olympic dream
MEA member Jake Davis, a chemistry teacher at Lincoln Park High School, achieved a long-held Olympic dream in February — but he didn’t compete at the Games in Milan. He officiated.
“It’s been a long process, a lot of commitment and sacrifices to be at the top for sure,” he says.
Davis began officiating hockey at age 13 and worked his way up from grassroots to national and international leagues. He was selected for the Olympics last July and stayed in shape officiating NCAA and semi-pro games while teaching full-time.
Nowadays students — and family — are his priority. He first became a substitute teacher as a flexible job that fit around his referee schedule. He found he loved it and pursued a career. There is overlap between the two, he says.
“Patience is huge,” said Davis. “I’ve learned to be a calming presence.”
Read the story of his dream-come-true.
QUOTABLES
“The evidence demonstrates a pattern of decision-making that has destabilized our schools, demoralized our educators, and jeopardized the educational outcomes of Pontiac students.”
— Resolution of No Confidence, jointly passed by a 98.7% vote of the Pontiac Education Association and the Pontiac ParaInstructors Association, outlining leadership failures by the superintendent and five school board members. Pontiac teachers have been working without a contract since the start of the school year.
MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR
MEA Scholarship Golf Outing
June 22
The 24th Annual MEA Scholarship Golf Outing is slated for noon on June 22 at Centennial Acres Golf Course in Sunfield. The event raises money for the MEA Scholarship Fund, which has awarded more than $974,000 in college scholarships to Michigan students over the years.
Register at mea.org/golf.
QUOTABLES
“Educators, parents, and community leaders will continue to organize, mobilize, and take action to protect our students and their futures.”
— NEA President Becky Pringle, speaking after the U.S. Department of Education conceded the end of a directive barring diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools and universities — the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of NEA and others.
