Hyper-partisanship leads to House passage of EAA bill

Posted on 03/22/13 at 1:40pm

The overly partisan atmosphere in the Michigan Capitol led to the state House narrowly passing legislation yesterday to expand the Education Achievement Authority — without protections for students, teachers and education support staff.

House Bill 4369, which passed by a 57-53 margin, allows the EAA to take over up to 50 public schools across the state that are deemed to be in the state's bottom 5 percent — without so much as conducting an educational audit to determine the specific problems facing the schools in question. The EAA would also be allowed to create new charter schools within two miles of a so-called "failing" school.

In addition, public school employees transferred to EAA schools would lose their collective bargaining rights. An amendment to the bill late Thursday allows current school employees hired by an EAA school to remain members of the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System – but new EAA employees would not be in the system.

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Judge orders Ferris State board to explain why it voted against its own contract proposal

Posted on 03/21/13 at 11:23am

BIG RAPIDS, Mich., March 21, 2013 — A state administrative law judge has ordered the Ferris State University Board of Trustees to explain why it voted to reject its own contract proposal with the Ferris Faculty Association, which represents employees at the university.

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House could vote this week on EAA school takeover legislation

Posted on 03/19/13 at 1:51pm

The state House may vote this week on House Bill 4369, which would create a statewide "takeover" district called the Education Achievement Authority that would take over local schools, eliminate employees' collective bargaining rights and silence the voices of local citizens.

MEA members are urged to contact their state representative and tell them to oppose the EAA legislation. Click here to find contact information for your legislators.

The EAA would be allowed to take over up to 50 public schools across the state that are deemed by arbitrary and flawed rankings to be in the state's bottom 5 percent. The bill would also allow the EAA to create new charter schools within two miles of a so-called "failing" school.

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MEA members and their families save on auto and home insurance

Posted on 03/19/13 at 2:59pm

MEA and MEA-Retired members can save hundreds of dollars each year on automobile and homeowners’ insurance through MEA Financial Services, a full-service insurance agency that provides policies exclusively for public education employees.

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MEA supports Schor bill closing dangerous loophole in Michigan’s gun law

Posted on 03/14/13 at 1:42pm

The Michigan Education Association endorsed legislation Thursday that would close a dangerous loophole in Michigan’s gun law that allows a concealed weapons license holder to openly carry a gun in gun-free zones such as schools.

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