MEA Votes

In her column in today's Detroit News, MEA President Iris K. Salters laments that the state's Race to the Top application failed to seize the opportunity to enact real, research-tested reforms like small class sizes and early childhood education. Instead, Michigan's plan was crafted "with political objectives instead of educational goals and without regard for strategies proven to help struggling schools."

Imagine this: your boss hands you a contract to sign, and that contract will dictate the next couple years of your career, if you still have one. And did we mention that contract was blank? Would you still sign it??

Chances are you wouldn't. It wouldn't make sense, particularly if you have a family depending on your paycheck to keep a roof overhead, the lights turned on and food on the table. In times like these, there are few Michigan families who aren't in that position.

This past weekend, state legislators finalized and passed measures that enable Michigan to compete in the federal Race to the Top competition, putting the state in the running for up to $400 million in extra federal funds. It's money that could better equip our educators and prepare our children for the future. Unfortunately, the legislation also included some provisions that will hurt educators and students in the process.

In her monthly column in today's Detroit News, MEA President Iris K. Salters outlines why Michigan will be at a huge disadvantage in earning federal Race To The Top dollars and how, regardless of federal funding, we need to approach school reform so it's constructive for students over the long haul.

Too bad MEA had to put it there.

MEA Government Affairs Director Ed Sarpolus' rebuttal to the News' constant and baseless attacks on the MEA and its members ran in the paper today. In particular, Sarpolus' comments were focused on the News' unfounded criticism of MEA's positions on the federal Race To The Top program.