At Issue
What's next after defeat of Proposal 5?
The headlines from the MEA
Voice three decades ago tell
a familiar story. ‘Michigan
schools reel under financial
blows.’ ‘Improved school
financing is a top MEA
priority.’ These same headlines
could be repeated
today. Over the last 30 years, MEA has
battled continuously
to secure the
funding needed to
give our students a
quality education.
We’ve enjoyed our share of victories and some defeats.
Yes, voters rejected
the Education Funding
Guarantee proposal
on Nov. 7, but we must
renew our efforts to
find stable funding for public
education in Michigan. We
will enlist MEA members
in every part of the state to
stand up for their students
and convince the Legislature
that the funding needs of
K-1 schools, community
colleges and universities
must be addressed.
The defeat on Nov. 7 of Proposal 5, the Education Funding Guarantee, left a sour taste for educators across Michigan, many who see their school districts financially drowning at a time when more is expected of them.
They vow to continue fighting for more funding that will help them deliver a high quality education to their students.
No one has been immune from Michigan’s education financial crisis.
K-12 school districts, community colleges and universities still will need to find ways to overcome Michigan’s funding shortage before more harm comes to education programs and students.
This we know:
The need to adequately fund our local public schools will not go away.
Making higher education more affordable will not go away.
Education is the key to preparing today’s students for the knowledgebased economy of the 21st century and to improving Michigan’s economic future. A steady investment in a more highly educated and skilled workforce is vitally necessary. Our school and college classrooms still will need the resources necessary to provide the quality instructional programs that will help transform the state economy.
So, what’s the next step? Where do we go from here?
“We lost this battle,” MEA President Iris Salters said. “The voters said that earmarking guaranteed funding was not the way. But we’ll be back to fight another day. And we will find another way and take the fight to the new Legislature.”
Salters noted that MEA will
have company in the renewed
effort to provide stable funding
for public education.“We have 1.35 million
people who voted with us
on Proposal 5,” she said.
“We now have allies to start
a new conversation about
education funding. We need
to remember that.”
Salters called on MEA members to join the fight for appropriate education funding.
“We’re going to take the battle to the front, and we want you to join us by building relationships with your legislators. Open the lines of communication with them. Tell them our story and our concerns. Let them know the marvelous things you’re doing for students.
“We’re going on the offensive… we need you to stand up for children, for members, families and our profession.”