Repeal and Replace Common Core
Senator Patrick Colbeck and Rep. Gary Glenn have introduced Michigan SB826 and HB5444 which would withdraw the state from Common Core standards, an important step toward nullifying nationalized education in the state. SB826 must pass the Senate Education Committee while HB5444 must pass the House Education Committee.
We MUST continue to call their office and NOT allow the bills to languish in committee. You have a voice. State lawmakers work for YOU.
Senator Pavlov is the chair of the Senate Education committee. Strong, but respectfully urge him to move this important bill forward to a vote in his committee. A phone call has 10x the impact of an email. His phone number is: 517-373-7708.
Representative Amanda Price is the chair of the House Education Committee: Strongly, but respectfully urge her to move this important bill forward to a vote in her committee. Her phone number is 517-373-0838
Michigan Department of Education Guidelines on Gender Identity
In late February, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) proposed a set of guidelines regarding gender identity in the schools. The State Board of Education may vote to adopt them at their May meeting. The guidelines are controversial and the wrong direction for Michigan students.
Please comment in opposition to the guidelines at Every Voice Counts Forum.
Please contact the State Superintendent Brian Whiston at 517-373-3324. Politely and respectfully but firmly tell them you OPPOSE the February 23 State Board of Education Draft Statement regarding gender guidelines.
Please contact John Austin, President of the State Board of Education at 517-373-3902. Politely and respectfully but firmly tell him you OPPOSE the gender guidelines articulated in the memorandum by Brian Whiston and NOT to approve them at the May 10th meeting. A PDF of the proposed guidelines is here.
Governor Rick Snyder creates new education commission.
While the MDE and the SBE fiddle with gender identity, Gov. Snyder continues his full court press to centralize Michigan schools from P-20 by signing an Executive Order to create a new 21st Century Education Commission to recommend changes to the state’s education system. The new commission will be charged with “with analyzing top performing schools and recommending changes to the state’s education system.
According to reports the 22 members of the commission will be appointed from “from education, business, government and nonprofit organizations.” Snyder has said in a statement it will “enhance student achievement” and get students ready for their future careers.
Not content to just “help” with under-performing schools in failing districts, Governor Snyder now wants an UNELECTED board to analyze “top performing schools” and recommend changes. Why? Isn’t that role of the locally elected school board? And if they are top performing why do they even need changes? Because the “changes” they will propose are to continue to centralize education. Remember Governor Snyder has a “new vision” for education that is centrally controlled from P-20 from PRENATAL to Career.
“I want to emphasize a vision of P-20. A PRENATAL to life long learning. We have to get beyond the old models of saying there are silos for for K12, silos for community college, for higher ed, for preschool. They shouldn’t be separate. They can be separate institutions. not to threaten the institutions. But shouldn’t we make it a seamless system. Where a student in that system doesn’t have to figure out all these tough choices but can just focus on success…and understanding it starts even at the prenatal stage and looking at is the expectant mother getting the right diet, the right primary care…”
It’s time for parents to speak up, exercise their right, and take the reins of education back. Time is running out. Social engineers in Lansing want to make the “to make the tough choices” while permitting our children to “choose” their gender and access those facilities. Parents, who possess the natural and fundamental right to direct their child’s care and education, are NOT a major factor in the new P-20 paradigm.
William Wagner wrote an excellent piece regarding education. Wagner states,
Both Michigan law and the Supreme Court of the United States hold that parental rights are “fundamental” rights. Such liberty serves as a serious limitation on exercises of government power, including those exercises of power that impact the parental role in educational matters.
Please read Wagner’s entire article.
It’s time for parents to speak up, exercise their right, and take the reins of education back. Time is running out.