January 15, 2020 By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association Stefanie Sedlar was forced to put her plans to start a family on hold to pay off nearly $100,000 in student loan debt. A special education teacher for Mount Pleasant Public Schools, Sedlar is one of countless dedicated teachers and other public school employees who start…
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer averted a government shutdown on Monday by signing a state budget sent to her on the eve of a fiscal-year deadline, but she used her veto pen to press Republican leaders in the state House and Senate to return to the negotiating table. Whitmer described the Legislature’s budget as “fatally flawed” in…
EAST LANSING —The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding the education budget signed into law by Gov. Whitmer, along with her line-item vetoes “Aside from the pet projects and vendor contracts Gov. Whitmer line-item vetoed, there are meaningful education programs and initiatives that were also cut. Those are tough choices to…
MICHIGAN — As tens of thousands of UAW members go on strike across the country, the American Federation of Teachers Michigan and Michigan Education Association released a joint statement in solidarity with the striking workers. The statement should be attributed to David Hecker, president of AFT Michigan and Paula Herbart, president of the MEA: “From schools…
MEA President thanks Gov. Whitmer, Dem legislators for standing against GOP efforts to tie pensions to road funding debate EAST LANSING — In a letter today to Democratic legislators, MEA President Paula Herbart thanked them and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for strong stances against GOP-backed “Pensions for Potholes” schemes. “While I’m not shocked, I’m certainly dismayed…
EAST LANSING – MEA President Paula Herbart blasted the so-called “pensions for potholes” scheme today, and urged public school employees across the state to raise their voices to oppose the risky shell game.
By many accounts, including by some conservative economists like Patrick Anderson, the reckless road funding scheme is irresponsible. Raiding pension funds for road fixes could undermine the retirement of hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents, drive the state deeper into debt, and saddle taxpayers with massive future costs.
David Schneider honored at NEA Representative Assembly for dedication to student retention on campus SAGINAW — David Schneider, a communication professor at Saginaw Valley State University, was honored as the 2019 Higher Educator of the Year at the National Education Association’s Representative Assembly this month in Houston. Schneider is a longtime member and leader of…
EAST LANSING – The following can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding the tentative plan to address the academic and financial challenges facing Benton Harbor Area Schools: “From the outset, we have emphasized the need for everyone involved to engage together in vital conversations about what’s needed to provide Benton Harbor students the…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, May 24, 2019 EAST LANSING – The following statement can be attributed to MEA President Paula Herbart regarding the state’s proposal to address the academic and financial performance of Benton Harbor Area Schools: “Above all else, we need to make sure Benton Harbor’s students get a quality education that prepares them…
Michigan Education Association calls for reinvesting in Michigan students, teachers and support staff EAST LANSING – New data from the National Education Association’s annual Rankings and Estimates report found average salary for teachers declined last year, continuing the 12% decline over the last decade when adjusted for inflation. Only Indiana, West Virginia and Wisconsin have…
