| Newspapers; 3/18/06 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 18 2006, 07:16 AM (216 Views) | |
| NFarquharson | Mar 18 2006, 07:16 AM Post #1 |
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From the Detroit Free Press: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...EWS06/603180311 Michigan Her job: Making education matter New head of school union aims to change minds in election March 18, 2006 BY LORI HIGGINS FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER Iris Salters, left, who took over last month as president of the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest union for school employees, greets Joseph Batts, a special education teacher from Belleville, during a conference March 3 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. (MARK BIALEK/Special to the Free Press) Iris Salters Age: 61 Job: President, Michigan Education Association Background: MEA vice president since 1999; president of the Kalamazoo Education Association from 1992 to 1999. Worked in Kalamazoo Public Schools for 25 years as a special education teacher, consultant and speech pathologist. Education: Undergraduate and two master's degrees from Western Michigan University Family: Married to Norman Salters for nearly 40 years; two adult children Drives: 2004 black Buick Rendezvous Key issues for the MEA The Michigan Education Association is involved in a number of statewide issues that affect school employees, including: High school graduation requirements: Several proposals are pending in the Legislature to toughen standards for graduation. They would require more math and science credits. Some teachers say there isn't enough flexibility in the plans for students who may struggle with a tougher curriculum. Others say vocational education and other subjects could be pushed out in an effort to create more instruction in core academic areas. K-16 Coalition for Michigan's Future: This initiative is pushed by the MEA and almost 30 other state education groups. It would guarantee state spending increases to keep up with inflation each year for schools, universities and community colleges. Health insurance/retirement costs: Many lawmakers in the Legislature are looking for ways to contain these costs. Some say they're willing to consider inflation-linked increases in school spending if coupled with reductions in health care and retirement expenses. But the MEA opposes such a move. An MEA affiliate, the Michigan Education Special Services Association, offers health care coverage for school employees. Student protection laws: New laws went into effect this year requiring that all school employees be fingerprinted and have their backgrounds checked. Concerns are widespread about one aspect of the new laws -- a requirement that schools be notified about employees with criminal records. The first notifications that went to districts were riddled with errors, with some school employees being identified as committing crimes they didn't do. Lori Higgins Michigan school employee unions Michigan Education Association Headquarters: East Lansing Membership: 160,000 Local units: 1,200 Web site: www.mea.org AFT Michigan (formerly Michigan Federation of TEachers) Headquarters: Detroit Membership: 34,000 Local units: 94 Web site: www.aftmichigan.orgcq-graham The passion for education came early for Iris Salters and was influenced by her grandmother, a teacher herself, and stories about her great-grandmother, a slave who learned to read and write by secretly listening outside the window of a school only white children could attend. Now Salters, 61, is using that passion in her new role as president of the Michigan Education Association, the largest union for school employees in the state with more than 160,000 members. The first African-American woman, and one of few women ever, to lead the 154-year-old organization, she's taking over at a challenging time as the MEA tries to wield its influence on a number of state education issues in an election year. Key among them are efforts to rein in health insurance and retirement costs, increase the rigor of high school classes and clear up incorrect data in a list of school employees with criminal records. Equally challenging? Having a strong influence in the governor's race and in the choice of more than 30 new members of the Legislature. "We need to elect ... legislators who are not afraid to stand up and to say, 'This is what we need to ensure that the educational system in Michigan will be of the highest value,' " said Salters, who spent most of her teaching career in Kalamazoo Public Schools. "It's their major challenge," said Bill Ballenger, editor of Inside Michigan Politics. He said the MEA has smartly adapted to keep up with the changing political landscape by backing candidates with strong records of supporting public education, regardless of party affiliation. The move has kept the MEA in the mix politically, but also keeps it in line with the political leanings of its members, divided in thirds by Democrats, Republicans and independents. Salters got an early start in education as a youngster by playing the role of teacher to other kids. She was an only child, but lived close to her cousins in the rural Van Buren County community of Covert, gathering them for lessons on summer days. Her grandfather, a Mississippi native, bought 50 acres of western Michigan farmland, giving a plot to each of his five children -- including Salters' mother. Her family believed strongly in education. It was her grandmother who inspired Salters to teach. "She always talked about how wonderful a profession it was," Salters said. Though her father had a third-grade education, he was a hard worker, financing both Salters' college education and that of her mother, who always wanted to be a nurse. Salters' mother graduated from college a year before she did. Decades later, Salters leads the school union that is most effective at lobbying the state Legislature, according to Inside Michigan Politics. The MEA ranked fifth among single-interest lobbying groups and their effectiveness in a survey the newsletter did of Lansing insiders. "Some would argue they're not as powerful as they were back in the '70s and early '80s, but that's to be expected because of the shift in political fortunes in the state," Ballenger said. "The fact that they've been able to maintain their prominence and strength as much as they have is a testament of their skills." Hal Downs, a social studies teacher at Emerson Middle School in Livonia and an MEA member, said he hopes the union can be more effective in fighting for appropriate funding and against unfunded state mandates. During the election season, Downs said, the MEA will need to be "more aggressive and visible to the electorate in explaining what our needs are and what we need to do." The MEA likely will back Gov. Jennifer Granholm for re-election, though Salters said recently the group has made no endorsement decisions and is "willing to listen to any discussions." The alternative -- Dick DeVos, the wealthy businessman and likely Republican challenger to Granholm -- brings some baggage, namely, an MEA-opposed failed ballot initiative in 2000 that would have given parents vouchers to send their children to private schools. "We are skeptical about the kinds of decisions that he might make," Salters said. The group hasn't taken a formal stance yet on another hot topic: a move to toughen high school graduation requirements. Salters, who took over in February from Lu Battaglieri, said she supports a tougher curriculum. But, she said, the "devil is in the details." ____________________________________ http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...EWS01/603180352 Detroit School to take precautions March 18, 2006 Email this Print this Special measures will be in place at Rochester High School on Monday morning to ensure the safety of staff and students after graffiti promising a Columbine-style attack was found in a school bathroom. "Some of them you'll see, and some of them you won't," Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said of Monday's measures. Deputies plan to work through the weekend to find who made the threat, discovered Wednesday, which read: "On Monday March 20 I'll bring a gun to school. It will be Columbine Part Two. This is your only warning." In the wake of the 1999 Columbine school attack that left 12 students and a teacher dead, the school district and Bouchard's officers have to take the threat seriously, he said. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I don't think this ranks high, but ...we can never take anything lightly," Bouchard said Friday. School officials sent a letter to parents Friday so families know what to expect Monday. "I hope they look at it as us trying to be very open," school board president Michelle Shepherd said Friday. "We' re doing this because we feel so strongly about keeping our kids safe." Information about the threat may be reported to the Oakland County Crimestoppers tip line anytime at 888-887-6146. By John Masson |
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| NFarquharson | Mar 18 2006, 07:22 AM Post #2 |
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From the O & E: http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...NEWS19/60316007 False alarms gives scare at high school By Sam Black Two false fire alarms this morning at South Lyon High School gave students and staff a brief scare, after a fire closed the school Thursday. It was quickly discovered the cause of the alarms were mechanical failures. A faulty valve in the school's mechanical room triggered a sensor and set off the school's first fire alarm, said Melissa Meister, an assistant school superintendent. The first alarm sounded at 8:40 a.m. and the second was set off an hour later. More false alarms may trigger today as maintenance personnel work to balance pressure in the school's fire sprinker system. Students returned to the high school this morning, after someone set fire to a seat in the school auditorium Thursday. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department is offering up to $5,000 for clues to who set an auditorium seat on fire. Six seats in the balcony were burned spreading smoke damage throughout the auditorium. A sprinkler system extinguished the fire, causing water damage as well. A separate reward had been offered Thursday by the South Lyon Community Schools district, but was withdrawn today in order to coordinate with reward offered by the sheriff's department, Meister said. “It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” Meister said. “I’m just so disappointed for the students and the community.” Det. Brian Salenick of the Oakland County Arson Investigation division said accidental causes for the fire are ruled out. South Lyon Fire Department Chief Craig Kaska said alarms sounded at 7:15 a.m., and firefighters discovered three rows of theater seats burning in the upstairs section of the auditorium. School was closed by 8 a.m., and buses were brought in to take students home. No injuries were reported. Water also flowed into nearby classrooms and a choir room, but was cleaned up by late Thursday. Meister said clean up alone for the auditorium will take about 30 days and cost thousands of dollars. About 150 seats are being removed from the balcony to be cleaned or refurbished. This is the first such incident in the school’s history, said Larry Jackson, who has been the school’s principal since it was built 16 years ago. “It’s terrible, because it jeopardized the lives of students and staff in this school,” Jackson said. This Sunday’s South Lyon Area Taste & Expo will still be held in the school’s commons area from noon to 4 p.m. And Meister said she’s hopeful the auditorium will be ready for the school’s play, “Bye-Bye Birdie,” which will open the last weekend in April. South Lyon Police Chief Lloyd Collins said the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible. The reward would be provided through the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. Information may be provided to the sheriff’s Lyon Township Substation at 248-437-5600. The South Lyon Fire Department was assisted by the Green Oak Township and Lyon Township fire departments. Originally published March 17, 2006 |
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| NFarquharson | Mar 19 2006, 10:26 AM Post #3 |
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I missed this one from the Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=73238937234022 Saturday, March 18, 2006 Rochester school board wants to keep public in dark The Detroit News / The Rochester Community Schools Board decided to celebrate a week dedicated to open government by excluding comments by the public and board members from its public records. Instead, the board will only let the minutes of board meetings reflect what the board does. This supposedly follows "what other schools are doing," says Mike Reno, a board member who opposes this shifty tactic. What the elected board is really doing is eliminating dissent from the record. If a comment or criticism is not in the record, it's as though it never happened. What makes this move both sad and comical is that it occurred during Sunshine Week, when the media and other groups highlight the right of citizens to know what their government is doing. Censoring the public record sets a poor example for Rochester's students, who are supposed to be learning the proper ways to make democracy work, but it also provides a teachable moment. Citizens must insist on open inquiry and public access at every level of government, no matter how small. If they don't, elected officials like some on the Rochester school board will try to keep them in the dark. |
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| NFarquharson | Mar 19 2006, 06:32 PM Post #4 |
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The Mike Reno in the article sent a letter to CFLF quite a while ago: Subject: Impressive effort... I am a resident of Rochester Hills, but had read the few recent articles on the reorganization plan for Livonia. The articles had made it sound like your board was going to close a few elementary schools. I was quite surprised when I read the article covering the approval, and learned that the plan also included a structural reorganization into grade-level schools. I was quite dismayed when I reviewed your website and read about the process. I am on the school board in Rochester. Sadly, the process sounded all too familiar. * You have a committee with 4 parents; I'd bet that most (and maybe all) are people that are regularly involved in the district and generally support any district initiative. Administrators outnumbered parents! * The district counted staff members as parents. That is so wrong. Yes, staff are parents too, but they are very unlikely to disagree with senior administrators. * They work on something for months, quietly, and then whisk it out at the last minute and approve it. * They conduct a survey, and then ignore the results. I read a few of the articles from the O&E. I thought the comments of your Board President were ridiculous, "Board President Dan Lessard told the crowd the board is not permitted to give answers directly during audience comments. "It is against the law," he said. "We cannot do it. Period."" He is so wrong. Period. The grade-level school concept is worth considering. However, it's only worth considering if it has community support. Ramming it through hardly demonstrates a desire to put kids first. Good luck with your struggle. If there is something you think I could do to help, please don't hesitate to ask. Mike Reno reno@rcs-reno.com www.rcs-reno.com Should we e-mail Mr. Reno and see if perhaps he would be interested in moving to Livonia now and running for our school board this fall after the recall? |
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