We have received many inquiries about the candidates for State Board of Education. There are six GOP candidates running for a two spots on the November ballot. GOP candidates will be chosen at the MI GOP State Convention August 27. The names of the candidates are as follows,
Al Gui
Tom McMillin
Jeff Phillips
Mike Rowley
Nicollete Snyder
Bill Runco
All six of the GOP candidates have signed the Stop Common Core in Michigan pledge. Stop Common Core in Michigan cannot endorse candidates as an organization.
In order to help voters vett the candidates, we have developed a list of questions that we encourage you to ask the candidates. We encourage all citizens to send this questionnaire to the candidates or post this on social media asking them for a response.
1. Many parents complain that the members of the State Board of Education are not accessible to them. How do you propose to remain accessible to parents and citizens if elected?
2. Have you been endorsed or received funding from special interests or lobby groups such as GLEP?
3. Governor Snyder articulated a vision for Michigan education that is no longer K12 but from P-20 from “Prenatal to life-long learning.” Do you support a P20 vision for education in Michigan?
5. In December of 2015, the State Board of Education adopted a set of seven goals for Michigan “Making Michigan A Top Ten State in Ten Years.” According to State Superintendent Brian Whiston, these goals are the motivation for the LGBTQ guidelines and many other controversial reforms related to workforce development/competency-based education. Do you support the goals articulated in their initiative, “Making Michigan a Top Ten State in Ten Years?” (https://stopcommoncoreinmichigan.com/2016/05/goal-political-agenda-michigan-top-10-10-years/)
6. Do you support Governor Snyder’s creation of the 21 Century Education Commission?
7. The Michigan State Board of Education is considering the adoption of new social studies standards. Do you support the C3 Framework for Social Studies or any set of “Michigan standards” using the C3 Framework as the foundation?
8. Do you support a parent’s right to opt-out of any assignment, survey, assessment, or data collection which the parents deem inappropriate or a violation of their student’s privacy, values, or beliefs?
9. In April, a bill to repeal and replace Common Core, science, social studies, and aligned assessments was introduced into the Michigan House (HB 5444) and Senate (SB 826). Do you support HB 5444/SB 826 as introduced and passed out of the Senate Education Committee?
if you would print the questionnaire A PDF version of these questions is provided here.
Candidates: Please send any response to stopccinmi@gmail.com
Voters: If you have approached a candidate and they refuse to respond, please let us know. If they provide a reason please forward that as well.
