School employees who regularly are in contact with students will be eligible to begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations beginning next Monday, Jan. 11, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today. “This is great news for Michigan students and educators alike,” said MEA President Paula Herbart. “Ensuring our front line teachers and education support professionals can be vaccinated to […]
MEA members’ lobbying efforts helped to score a victory in the Michigan Legislature’s abbreviated lame duck session in December – winning hazard pay grants for some school employees left out of the original legislation, including preschool and adult education teachers. Despite having numerous scheduled session days cancelled because of coronavirus exposure, before they left for […]
A COVID relief package passed in the waning hours of the 116th U.S. Congress could deliver a significant boost to Michigan school districts looking to pay for additional costs of operating amid a global pandemic – if President Trump signs the bill into law. According to MEA Economist Tanner Delpier, the median Michigan district should […]
MEA member Rachel Niewiada already knew her Grandville Middle School choral music students were wonderful singers, but after she appeared last week on the ABC television program The View the seven-year teacher now knows they’re incredible actors as well. Niewiada says she had no idea several of her students would appear in taped interviews to […]
By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association This public health crisis has also driven home what many have known for some time: There is a direct correlation between education, income and the jobs we perform. So it should come as no surprise that we at the Michigan Education Association were gratified when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer […]
The coronavirus has stymied much of the lame duck legislation that Republican leaders might have hoped to pass before a new state Legislature is seated in January, as positive tests for COVID-19 among lawmakers and staffers forced the state House to cancel several planned meetings. The cancellation of session days in the House last week […]
One way you can get involved as an MEA member right now is by speaking up about the legislative priorities you believe our organization should be pursuing. The MEA Legislation Commission is developing our organization’s 2021-23 Legislative Priorities for the 101st Michigan Legislative Session which begins in January. The Commission recommends priorities to the MEA […]
By Blake Mazurek On Monday I woke after a restless night of sleep with butterflies in my stomach. My excitement for casting an electoral vote for President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris was brimming over. To be honest, I also had an edge of concern about my and the other electors’ safety in […]
By Blake Mazurek On Monday I woke after a restless night of sleep with butterflies in my stomach. My excitement for casting an electoral vote for President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris was brimming over. To be honest, I also had an edge of concern about my and the other electors’ safety in […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor At Parma Elementary School in Jackson County’s Western School District, students coming through Miss Dawn’s cafeteria line enjoy a generous serving of love along with their chicken nuggets, buttered corn and apple slices. “The kids absolutely love her because they know she cares,” said Principal Sue Haney. “She jokes with […]
