Mich. education leaders react to Newtown tragedy

Mich. education leaders react to Newtown tragedy

Posted on 12/18/12 at 9:59am

By now, we’ve all heard about the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. We’ve watched the images on television of a community grieving. We’ve read the stories of the teachers who sacrificed their own lives to save the lives of students. We’ve listened to pundits argue over causes and solutions. Among it all, we’ve hugged our children a little longer and a little harder, and we’ve shed more than a few tears.

It’s hard to make sense of what happened that day, when a deranged gunman shot 20 first-graders to death, along with four teachers, the principal, the school psychologist, his mother and himself. What we do know is the heroic actions of school employees saved countless lives — in some cases, at the expense of their own.

Teacher Victoria Soto hid students in a closet and cupboard in her classroom. She put herself between her students and the killer, and died making the ultimate sacrifice.

Library clerk Maryann Jacob hid 18 children in a storage room and barricaded the door.

Kaitlin Roig, a teacher, hid at least a dozen students in a bathroom.

Teacher Anne Marie Murphy’s body was discovered in her classroom with the bodies of her first-grade students; she was found in a shielding position.

• Read more

Final deadline for MPSERS retirement elections is Jan. 9

Posted on 12/18/12 at 10:02am

Members of the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9, to make their final elections on pension and retiree benefits.

Read More

Letters on school safety

Posted on 12/18/12 at 10:06am

Fewer than 14 years after the Columbine tragedy, the events last Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., have once again brought school violence into the national discussion. MEA Voice is seeking letters to the editor from MEA members on the topic of school safety.

Read More

Conn. school shooting tragedy reinforces need for real discussions on student, employee safety

Conn. school shooting tragedy reinforces need for real discussions on student, employee safety

Posted on 12/14/12 at 3:40pm

EAST LANSING, Mich., Friday, Dec. 14, 2012 — The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Steve Cook in response to today's school shooting in Connecticut and the need for greater focus on student and school employee safety:

"More than 30 times since Columbine, unconscionable acts of gun violence in American schools have either ended or forever changed the lives of students and school employees. Speaking for MEA's 150,000 members, all our condolences go out to the victims and their families, as well as the entire community of Newton, as they deal with the senseless deaths of these children and educators.

"Regardless of what the details and facts are of today's events in Connecticut, this nation must have a real conversation about guns and the safety of our students and those who care for them.

"I am a gun owner and avid outdoorsman, but something must be done to protect our children from such acts of violence.  Entire school communities -- boards, administrators, teachers, support staff, parents and students -- need to be partners in discussions to ensure our school buildings are safe and protected from these kinds of crimes, using the latest in technology and building design to secure buildings and classrooms from those who would bring harm to students, whether armed or not.

"But we need REAL solutions. Just yesterday, the Michigan Legislature passed SB 59, which allows for concealed firearms in our schools. Those who think that students and teachers will be safer with MORE guns in our schools are just plain wrong.  Thinking that teachers should carry weapons and fire on threats is a recipe for even more death -- not safety. I hope Governor Snyder understands this and vetoes SB 59, not only for the safety of our children but out of respect for those who died today in Connecticut. To sign this bill in light of this tragedy would be unfathomable."

• Read more

House adjourns without passing EAA and conversion school bills

Posted on 12/14/12 at 4:15pm

The Michigan Legislature adjourned for the year early Friday morning without taking up legislation that would allow the creation of so-called "conversion schools" or a statewide school takeover district.

Read More

President Cook: Politicians' 'shameful' actions will not be forgotten

Posted on 12/13/12 at 9:35am

MEA President Steve Cook said in a media statement Wednesday that Gov. Rick Snyder and the Legislature's "shameful" actions in passing so-called right-to-work legislation "will not be forgotten."

"Tuesday was a dark day for our state," Cook said. "Middle-class families will be hurt by the underhanded action taken by the Legislature and Gov. Rick Snyder. The shameful way that Snyder and the Republican Legislature rushed through so-called "right-to-work" legislation -- without as much as a public hearing -- will not be forgotten. The Legislature and the governor chose politics over policy, and corporate special interests over regular citizens.

Check out photos from Tuesday's event.

"The bad news for Snyder and his far-right allies is that the labor movement in Michigan is more united than ever. In the coming days and weeks, we will be discussing options and decide on a plan to win back the rights that Snyder and the Legislature stripped away from working people. 

• Read more

House looks to pass bills allowing takeover of local schools

Posted on 12/13/12 at 9:44am

The Michigan House may soon take up legislation creating "conversion schools," whereby parents and teachers could elect to transfer authority of their local schools to outside entities, which could then use uncertified teachers. The scheme is also known as "parent trigger."

Read More

Social media shows union supporters' passion in no danger of waning

Posted on 12/13/12 at 9:46am

Did you miss yesterday's Day of Action at the Capitol? Check out this link to get an unfettered social media recap from teachers, support staff and other union supporters who were on the ground in Lansing.

Read More

House passes right-to-work bills; protests in Lansing continue

Posted on 12/11/12 at 3:35pm

The state House of Representatives rushed through legislation today making Michigan a so-called “right-to-work” state as more than 10,000 middle-class workers protested outside the Capitol and the governor’s office.

MEA members are encouraged to come to Lansing after work today and join workers in a peaceful “Day of Action” at and around the Capitol. Members should park at MEA headquarters at 1216 Kendale Blvd. in East Lansing and catch a shuttle bus to downtown Lansing. Buses will continue to make the trip back and forth all day.

Gov. Rick Snyder may sign the legislation as early as this afternoon, marking a complete about-face from his rhetoric just weeks ago that right-to-work was too divisive and not on his “agenda.”

Call Snyder NOW at 517-373-3400 and urge him to VETO right-to-work legislation, which only serves to harm middle-class families to the benefit of corporate special interests.

Newspaper editorials: Don't rush drastic education reforms

Posted on 12/10/12 at 4:16pm

Over the weekend, two Michigan newspapers editorialized against policymakers rushing drastic education reforms.

Read More

Show off your creative side in the 49th Annual MEA art exhibit

Posted on 12/10/12 at 4:21pm

MEA members are invited to submit original works of art for the 49th Annual MEA/Michigan Art Education Association Art Acquisitions Purchase Exhibition. 

Read More

There will be two bus sites leaving for Lansing on Tuesday, December 11.  The Muskegon location will be from SEIU Healthcare MI at 2680 Vulcan St. Muskegon, MI 49444 and you can contact Ben Gillette at brent.gillette@seiuheathcaremi.org and his phone number is 231.288.6451 C or 231.722.6303 O.  He only needs your name and phone number for a reservation.  The bus will leave at approximately 7:30 am and is said to return by 5:00 pm.  If you exit off of 31 and head west, the office is located behind the Walgreen's on Vulcan Street.

Grand Rapids is as follows:

RSVP here and find out more about the Bus to Lansing.

Action needed NOW to oppose so-called 'right-to-work'

Posted on 12/07/12 at 7:12pm

Yesterday, Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republicans rammed through their so-called "right-to-work" bills in hours, locked citizens out of the Capitol, made a mockery of the democratic process and undermined the rights of Michigan’s middle class.
A recap of yesterday's activities is on www.mea.org, plus every media outlet in the state. We anticipate that the House and Senate will pass the final versions of the RTW bills on Tuesday and send them to the governor for his signature.
It's time to take action immediately. Here's a checklist of activities between now and Tuesday:

• Step 1: Call Gov. Rick Snyder at (517) 373-3400 and/or email him at rick.snyder@michigan.gov and demand that he veto right-to-work legislation, which weakens unions and makes it easier for corporate CEOs to cut wages and benefits. And continue to contact your legislators to express your anger at their actions.

• Step 2: Email midistricts@gmail.com to find out what you can do to help take local action this weekend. Lawmakers will be in their home districts this weekend, and they need to hear from you!

• Step 3: Wear red on Monday and participate in a local, legal workplace action. Individual unions are planning their own activities, so check with your local union leaders for details -- or better yet, help them plan it! The goal is to do everything you can to inform your friends, families, neighbors and networks about what extremist politicians are doing to school employees and other middle-class families.

• Step 4: Make plans to come to the state Capitol on Tuesday and make your voice heard. Workers from across Michigan will be there all day speaking out against right-to-work and its disastrous and divisive impact on working families and our state. Keep an eye on your inbox for more details.

The final vote is still nearly four days away. That means there are about four days to take action and try to stop these extremists from trampling on our rights! Call Gov. Snyder and his Republican allies, make plans to come to the Capitol Tuesday, and email midistricts@gmail.com to participate in a local action this weekend.
If you can’t make it to the Capitol on Tuesday or participate in a local action this weekend, please take just a few minutes to hop on your phone or email and contact Gov. Snyder and lawmakers.
The time to act is now.

• Read more

Newspaper editorials: Don't rush drastic education reforms

Posted on 12/10/12 at 4:16pm

Over the weekend, two Michigan newspapers editorialized against policymakers rushing drastic education reforms.

Read More

Show off your creative side in the 49th Annual MEA art exhibit

Posted on 12/10/12 at 4:21pm

MEA members are invited to submit original works of art for the 49th Annual MEA/Michigan Art Education Association Art Acquisitions Purchase Exhibition.

Read More

Right to Work

House and Senate pass versions of ‘right-to-work’; adjourn until Tuesday

Posted on 12/06/12 at 8:58pm

Following this morning’s announcement by Gov. Snyder and Republican legislative leaders about their support of so-called “right-to-work” legislation, the state House and Senate took swift action in passing bills implementing the deceptive, flawed concept for both public and private sector workers.

Both chambers amended existing bills to include language allowing workers to choose not to pay their fair share of the costs of negotiating their contract. The bills legalize freeloading, which pits workers against one another and gives corporate special interests an even greater advantage in being able to cut wages and benefits.

In the House, HB 4054 was amended and passed by a vote of 58-52 to implement “right-to-work” for private sector workers.  Six Republicans (Forlini, Goike, Horn, McBroom, Sommerville and Zorn) voted no along with all Democrats.

On the Senate side, both public and private sector workers were attacked -- SB 116 and HB 4003 were passed with 22 Republican votes each, with four Republicans (Rocca, Casperson, Nofs and Green) voting no. Senate Democrats all voted against SB 116 -- all 12 chose not to vote on HB 4003 in protest. Local police and fire employees, as well as state police, were exempted.

• Read more

How to voice your opposition to right-to-work legislation

Posted on 11/29/12 at 2:22pm

Some Lansing politicians and the corporate special interests that fund their political campaigns are set to introduce and/or vote on legislation that would make Michigan a so-called “right-to-work” state. It’s critical that working families across Michigan stand up to this blatant power grab by CEOs and urge their lawmakers to vote NO on right-to-work.

Statement from MEA President Steve Cook on deceptive ’Freedom to Freeload’ bill

Posted on 12/06/12 at 7:57pm

EAST LANSING, Mich., Dec. 6, 2012 — Gov. Rick Snyder and Republican leadership today announced they would push so-called “right-to-work” bills that include public and private workers while carving out exemptions for police and firefighters. Swift legislative action on these bills is already underway. The following statement can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President Steve Cook:

Read More

Report cautions against education policies that undermine local control

Posted on 12/04/12 at 9:19am

As Michigan policymakers debate shifting control of schools away from local communities and into the hands of state bureaucrats, a recently released national report shows how over-centralization can hurt students and communities.

Read More

Legislature considering school voucher bills during lame duck

Posted on 12/03/12 at 9:24am

In the final weeks of the legislative session, state lawmakers are considering bills that would strip away local communities’ ability to guide education policy, by creating a statewide "takeover district."

Read More

Michigan educators win NEA Foundation grants for innovation

Posted on 12/04/12 at 9:17am

Six Michigan educators recently received a combined $12,000 in grants from the National Education Association Foundation to help support their innovative techniques for improving student achievement and encouraging professional development.

Read More