Thursday, December 6, 2012

Superintendents united: Public education is at a crossroads | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com

Superintendents united: Public education is at a crossroads | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com:


Superintendents united: Public education is at a crossroads

SOS Save Our Schools

Education in Michigan is at a crossroads. What’s next? Will we continue to be a public system with the focus on student achievement or will public education become another corporate endeavor focused on profit? They are promoting an ideology based on vouchers, charters, privatization and standardized testing.
The bills proposed in this lame-duck legislature are dramatic. It’s ironic that two days after the people voted “no” on the Emergency Financial Manager law, two new bills with a similar concept were submitted, SB1358 and HB 6004. These bills provide the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) rights and authorities not available to other districts across the state or even the Michigan Department of Education.
These bills would:
• Expand EAA’s authority beyond low-performing schools, allowing them to authorize 

Superintendents united

The superintendents of the schools included in the Ingham Intermediate School District collaborated for this viewpoint. They are:
Amy Hodgson, Dansville
David Chapin, East Lansing
Michael Duda, Haslett
Jeff Manthei, Leslie
Mark Dillingham, Mason
Catherine Ash, Okemos
Johnny Scott, Holt
Stan Kogut, Ingham ISD
Yvonne Camaal Canul, Lansing
Bruce Brown, Stockbridge
Terry Urquhart, Waverly
Brian Friddle, Webberville
Narda Murphy, Williamston