At Issue: Election 2006
Granholm: Education and jobs go hand in hand
Gov. Jennifer Granholm answers questions at
the MEA Summer Leadership Conference.
Education and jobs.
Without a solid commitment to education, Michigan won’t have a sufficient supply of workers with skills to fill jobs of the 21st century.
And, if Michigan doesn’t grow its economy, then we will not advance our system of public education.
“That is why I fight for both jobs and
education—the two truly must go hand in
hand,” says Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who
is seeking re-election in November.
Granholm is MEA’s recommended candidate in the gubernatorial race because of her solid support for public education. Her campaign Web site is: www.granholmforgov.com.
Here’s how Granholm responded to a series of questions intended to help school employees prepare to vote in the Nov. 7 election:
MEA: How are the public schools doing in terms of providing an appropriate education to all children?
Granholm: Whether I’m attending Parents’ Night at my kids’ schools or paying a visit as governor, I am a regular visitor to Michigan’s public schools. Regardless of my role, I always walk away feeling thankful that so many talented and dedicated individuals have chosen to become teachers in our state. As the mother of three children, I marvel at the ability teachers possess to connect with so many different children and to find ways to be a force for good in their lives. I believe that the investment we make in our public schools pays incalculable dividends.
MEA: Why is election 2006 important…why should MEA members vote?
Granholm: I believe Michigan is at a crossroads. We can either go forward toward a future based on educational and economic opportunity for all, or we can go back to the very policies that created so many of the problems we are experiencing today. We need a government and a governor focused on the needs of Michigan families, not on the wants of the privileged and powerful.
I have worked every day to give Michigan that kind of leadership—standing up to the Bush trade policies that ship Michigan jobs overseas, working to create the jobs we need today and tomorrow, investing in public education and fighting off those who would abandon it, and expanding access to affordable health care.
My opponent lobbied for the Bush trade policies, led and financed a statewide campaign to use tax dollars to fund private school vouchers, and advocates deep cuts to funding for education, health care and public safety. I think the choice could not be clearer and the stakes could not be higher.
MEA: What is your philosophy on the purpose and value of K-12 public schools to the residents of Michigan? Higher education?
Granholm: Education, whether at our K-12
schools or at our colleges and universities,
is critical to our state’s economic future.
I reinforce that point everywhere I go,
not just to education audiences. There is simply no way to achieve the prosperity
we want in our state without helping our
citizens attain higher levels of academic
achievement.
MEA: How much should the state invest in education, and how do you view the return on that investment?
Granholm: Education must be our top funding priority and my administration has made it just that. Even though I have eliminated $4 billion in budget deficits since becoming governor, I have pushed per pupil spending to record levels. We expect more of our schools each year, and we have to be willing to match that expectation with increased investment. No investment we make as a state pays a higher dividend.
MEA: What is your position on the so-called civil rights initiative on the ballot? Do you think it will impact public schools? If yes, how?
Granholm: I adamantly oppose this ballot proposition and believe that it will weaken Michigan both economically and educationally. It will make our higher education institutions less diverse at a time when we need to place a premium on diversity not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the smart thing to do for our economy. One potential impact I can see for our public schools stems from our need for diverse and highly qualified teachers. This is no time to put up roadblocks to educational opportunity for those individuals who tomorrow will be the teachers we need in Michigan.
MEA: In many school districts, employees are losing their jobs to privatization. How do you view such decisions—and what is your understanding of the impact that privatization has on the local/state economies?
Granholm: In state government, we have found that privatization is much less than it’s cracked up to be. In fact, we have seen economic savings and increased efficiency by bringing work back to the state workforce after the previous administration outsourced it. I have urged other units of government to think twice beforethey jump on the privatization bandwagon—the public sector can outperform the private sector with the right supports and management.
MEA: Is there a role for public education (K-16) in your jobs plan? What is it? How can public education help Michigan’s economy?
Granholm: Education is an essential part
of my plan to grow Michigan’s economy.
We need to have the nation’s best educated
workforce if we are to win the fight
for new investment and jobs. We need
to expand job training opportunities for
those who want to change occupational
fields in a changing economy. And, as we
diversify our economy, we have to make
sure it is Michigan students and Michigan
workers who are prepared to take advantage
of these expanding opportunities.
In short, there simply is no economic
strategy for Michigan that does not depend
on expanding educational opportunity,
and that must include opportunity to
attain education beyond high school.
MEA: What can be done to help stop the assault on school employees’ health insurance benefits and to make health care affordable for all?
Granholm: We need to confront the rising cost of health care in this country. It is hurting our major job providers and squeezes the public sector as well. I am fighting to expand health care coverage in Michigan so those with insurance will no longer have to pay for the often unnecessarily expensive care for the uninsured.
The education sector has to look for its own unique ways to control costs, but slashing benefits at a time when we need to retain and attract talented teachers would be a huge mistake. We should also avoid letting a “one size fits all” state-imposed solution negate all that can be gained when parties come together through the local collective bargaining process.
MEA: What do you think of proposals to shift school employees from defined-benefit to defined-contribution plans for retirement?
Granholm: I think any changes in this area
need to be the result of a consensus that
involves all the key education stakeholders.
The benefits provided for educators
have helped attract talented people to
the teaching profession. That is why we
should move cautiously when it comes to
changing the benefit structure that exists
in Michigan school districts.
MEA: Do you support any changes to school employees retirement?
Granholm: I would evaluate any potential
changes with the same criteria as above:
Are they the product of a consensus of
all education stakeholders? I would not
support any changes that reduce benefits
or threaten the actuarial soundness of the
MSPERS.
MEA: What does an MEA recommendation mean to your campaign?
Granholm: I am proud to campaign for reelection
with the support of the men and
women who comprise the MEA. There
is an added dimension to the MEA’s endorsement
because of this organization’s
long history as an advocate for public
education on issues that go far beyond
the wages and benefits of its members.
MEA members are not only people who
have committed themselves to our children
and our future, they are people who
are respected in their communities. And
given that support for public education
may well be a defining difference between
me and my opponent, there is no group I
would prefer to have in my corner more
than the MEA.