The Education Bills Are Still in Committee: Keep the Pressure On!

Yes, there are the Right to Work protests tomorrow, Tuesday 12/11/12.  But meanwhile, from Steve Norton of Michigan Parents for Schools:

"There is a House Education meeting TOMORROW [Tuesday 12/11/12] at 8:15 a.m., in the House Appropriations room in the Capitol building, where HB 6004 is on the agenda, and another meeting at the normal time and place (9:15am in the HOB) for Wednesday [12/12/12], with the same two bills on the agenda." (I'm not sure if you can watch on Michigan House TV or not, but here is the link.)

If you are going to the RTW protests, think about going FIRST to the House Appropriations Room, and then to the protests outside. Assuming you can get into the Capitol.

Meanwhile, for the rest of you--please email the entire House Education Committee. Thank those who are opposing these bills currently, and ask the rest to join them. I have some links with talking points, and below that, the email addresses.

Links with talking points: 

Novi Superintendent's message: Is there a campaign to discredit public education?

Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood's (D-Taylor) message: Education Authority legislation spells trouble for school districts

Ann Arbor School Board Resolution

Michigan Parents for Schools: Destroy public ed as we know it?

Here is the information from the policy brief of the Michigan Association of School Administrators--this is a nice succinct summary of the issues

And last, but not least, there is a new group, Michigan for Quality Schools, opposing these education bills, and they can be found at the web site miqualityschools.net. Their slogan? Stop Experimenting With Our Children: Proven Education Reforms Only! Now that's a slogan I can get behind.

Here are the email addresses of the House Education Committee:

LisaLyons@house.mi.gov,  ThomasHooker@house.mi.gov,  HughCrawford@house.mi.gov,  TomMcMillin@house.mi.gov,  RayFranz@house.mi.gov,  KurtHeise@house.mi.gov,  AricNesbitt@house.mi.gov,  MargaretOBrien@house.mi.gov,  AmandaPrice@house.mi.gov,  DebShaughnessy@house.mi.gov,  KenYonker@house.mi.gov,  JonBumstead@house.mi.gov,  lisabrown@house.mi.gov,  georgetdarany@house.mi.gov,  lisahowze@house.mi.gov,  rudyhobbs@house.mi.gov,  davidrutledge@house.mi.gov,  thomasstallworth@house.mi.gov,  douglasgeiss@house.mi.gov