Font size:
On a Saturday in May, members of the Michigan Education Association held a walk in Midland bringing attention to public school funding. They claim education funding is down nearly $19 million in the greater Midland area in the last four years.
MEA president Steve Cook has claimed that Michigan’s public school budget has been cut by $1 billion.
The problem is that these claims are not true.
State spending on public education actually increased $800 million in the last four years, despite the fact enrolment is down by 2.4 percent.
As Michigan Capitol Confidential reported, the West Bloomfield School District receives about $515 more per pupil today than it did in 2010. Despite this, its superintendent claims that it is getting less money.
Those claiming less money and calling for more funding know who is steering the conversation toward reality. They know the Mackinac Center will not stand for information that inaccurately depicts how our state’s dollars are being spent. They know the Center’s accuracy of information and power of influence, which stand in the way of policies that spend more tax dollars without receiving better results.
The group made sure to demonstrate in front of the Center’s headquarters on West Main Street.
We agree that our children deserve the best education possible. But in order for that to happen, parents need to be empowered to make the best choices for their children.
