Rarely does a week go by without some government official paying lip service to the woeful state of funding for Michigan’s education. The governor keeps holding meetings, legislators express concern; the Department of Education says it’s a problem . . . yet nothing changes. Our schools’ budgets have been slashed, our children’s futures are at risk, yet nothing changes.

Why? I suggest that the main reason is that our elected officials, from top to bottom, both parties, are cowards. For years it has been clear and obvious that structural changes in how we fund education in Michigan are needed. Some good ideas on how to accomplish this exist. Unfortunately, these changes require that partisan interests be set aside and that everyone is at the table and everything is on the table.

Democrats refuse to consider changes that might anger the teachers’ union. Republicans refuse to consider tax hikes that may, in fact, be required in times of decreased revenues that might anger their voting base. Our elected representatives choose politics over doing the right thing. Being re-elected or staying in power trumps our children’s and our state’s well being.

Difficult times call for heroes, not cowards. I and others are working on school financing plans that will require courage and integrity from our elected officials and from us, the voters, who elect them. I ask that you join me in calling them out, in demanding that they start doing the work required of them, to put aside partisan interests – or it becomes our responsibility to be the heroes and fire the whole lot of them and elect others that put our children’s and state’s interests above lobbyists and party interests. Be a hero to our children – call, write, e-mail, demand that the changes happen now, during an election year, or [they] face finding a new job next November.
Rick Shapero
Cedarville