Know before you vote on Aug. 2 (Updated) | Stop Common Core in Michigan

Dear Education activists,

Stop Common Core in Michigan, in partnership with US Parents Involved in Education, has developed an Education Policy Pledge for legislators and candidates. At its core, the pledge calls for the true repeal of Common Core standards & assessments, being replaced with proven, evidence based MA standards & assessments, Pre-Common Core. Please take the pledge to the candidates and ask them to sign it and return it to us. Printable pledge available here: pledge 2016 (PDF)

But the pledge contains more. It confirms parents’ rights in controlling the education of their children, rejects federal over-reach in education policy, demands restoration of Michigan based funding for education from the Feds, rejects the P-20 workforce model that drives the massive data collection on our children.

Let’s start by recognizing and thanking those who signed the pledge to return education to local/parent control. (I) indicates incumbent. **

Michigan House and Senate Candidates

Randy Clark 52nd District State Rep
Logan Fleckstein 60th District State Rep
Gary Glenn (I) 98th District State Rep
Michelle Gregoire 62nd District State Rep
Jason Gillman 104th District State Rep
Gary Howell 82nd District State Rep.
Shane Hernandez 83rd District State Rep.
Steve Johnson 72nd District State Rep
Greg Kolich 66th District State Rep
Dan Lauffer 38th District State Rep
Jeff Noble 20th District State Rep
John Reilly 46th District State Rep
Jim Runstead (I) 44th District State Rep
Michael Shmina 32nd District State Rep
Justin Tranchita 32nd District State Rep

U.S. Congress Candidates
Jack Bergman 1st District
Anthony Forlini, 10th District
Jeff Jones 12th District
Paul Mitchell 10th District
Alan Sanborn 10th District
David Van Assche 10th District

Michigan State Board of Education Candidates

Al Gui
Tom McMillin
Jeff Phillips
Bill Runco
Mike Rowley
Nikki Snyder

University of Michigan Board of Regents
Carl Meyers

(We will be adding candidate names to the list as they become available to us.)

The pledge has been sent to many legislators and candidates, but few have signed. Some of the “reasons” we have heard include:
– I don’t sign pledges
– I have a problem with 1 or 2 of the points, (declining to say which)
– I don’t have time to properly research this right now

Of course, many prefaced with, “Of course I want to get rid of Common Core”.

All of these hedges and excuses are worrisome. They clearly demonstrate an unwillingness to be prepared to actually fix our Michigan education system so it can work for all children, not as an indoctrination process, but as a true educational experience.

Below, is the list of legislators and candidates who we know have been asked but have declined to sign as of yet. Please call your favorite candidate. Remind them how important this issue is to the parents and children in Michigan. It is possible they may have missed the request. Give them a reminder! Tell them they should SIGN THE PLEDGE! A printable copy of the pledge is available here: pledge 2016 (PDF)

District 19 Laura Cox

District 36 Peter Lucido

District 38 Kathy Crawford

District 39 Klint Kesto

District 41 Martin Howrylak

District 42 Lana Theis

District 43 Jim Tedder

District 45 Michael Webber

District 47 Hank Vaupel

District 51 Joe Graves

District 56 Jason Sheppard

District 58 Eric Leutheuser

District 59 Aaron Miller

District 61 Brandt Iden

District 71 Tom Barrett

District 73 Chris Afendoulis

District 74 Rob VerHeulen

District 80 Mary Whiteford

District 81 Dan Lauwers

District 84 Edward Canfield

District 90 Daniel Garcia

District 91 Holly Hughes

District 94 Tim Kelly

District 105 Triston Cole

District 107 Lee Chatfield

Beth Griffin
Mathew Nielson
Kathy Crawford
Joe Kent
Pamela Horberger

(** Please note: Stop Common Core is NOT endorsing any candidate but informing you of which candidate has signed or not signed the pledge.)