School Activists: 'We Have the Money for K-12 Education'

Lansing has seen bigger and perhaps more enthusiastic rallies than Thursday's gathering to support education funding.

The activists were undaunted by crowd size. All they cared about was making Michigan's lawmakers hear words like those spoken from the Capitol building's steps by Chris Greig, Farmington Area PTA president.

"We have the money. We have a surplus in the K-12 school aid fund," said Greig, who attended the rally with a group from the Farmington Area PTA. "We've collected $455 million more than what we originally thought, already this year. We are projecting an additional $500 million to be reported by the House Fiscal Agency on Monday. We have the money for K-12 education. We must, we must invest in our future today."

Greig said every penny intended for K-12 education should be spent that way.

Under Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed budget, nearly a $1 billion intended specifically for K-12 costs (called the School Aid Fund) could be used instead to pay community colleges, universities and to help pay down Michigan's debt. The Senate and House each passed slightly different bills reducing state aid to schools. Once the differences are ironed out, the measure goes to Synder.

Thursday's rally had two purposes:

• Raising support for the anti-bullying measure nicknamed Matt's Safe School Law (for 14-year-old bullying victim Matt Epling of East Lansing, who killed himself after a 2002 assault), which would require schools to establish clear policies against bullying,
• and showing legislators just how many parents and educators care about education funding. Although about 200 people attended, the crowd appeared much smaller than anticipated.

Many of those present said they were disappointed in the turnout, but thought it was difficult for families to travel on a weekday when most are working or in school.

Tabitha Stasie, Walled Lake PTA council president, and Judy Evola, community relations director at Walled Lake Schools, arrived in Lansing early Thursday, meeting with four state representatives to petition: Vicki Barnett, (D-Farmington), Eileen Kowall, (R-White Lake), Lisa Brown, (D-Bloomfield Hills) and staff members working for Rep. Hugh Crawford (R-Novi). Evola and Stasie said they will continue to make appeals to lawmakers.

Brown and Rep. Dian Slavens, D-Canton, used their break time to visit with those at the rally. Brown, a mother of three students, said she understood that it was impossible for many families to attend the rally. Brown, who serves on the education committee said her offer of alternative funding for education was rejected by fellow lawmakers.

Rep. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth, voted against the House bill passed last week, which slashes state aid to schools by $426 per pupil. He has said on several occasions that communities rely on good schools to attract businesses and new residents. He said 

Stasie said she didn't think the low turnout was "Indicative of how parents feel." She said 21 meetings have been held, on a school-by-school basis, in her district, where cuts up to $24 million are proposed to reduce a $160 million budget, which includes cutting 240 jobs.

Some made sacrifices to visit Lansing, like Katie Scarchilli of Royal Oak, a physical therapist who rescheduled all her appointments to be in Lansing; her friend, Pam Shewchuck, also of Royal Oak, came to the rally despite a severe cold.

"It's the most important thing I had to do today," Shewchuck said.

Among those who stepped up to the microphone were two representatives from districts' legislative action networks: Anita Bartschat, of Northville and Sheila Paton of Plymouth Township.

Paton attended the rally with a group from Plymouth-Canton Community Schools -- the third largest district in the state — and said she knows some legislators are listening but others are not — and she intends to keep talking with lawmakers about the importance of preserving Michigan's K-12 funding.

Bartschat said Gov. Snyder's goal of having students reach 100 percent proficiency in their education is laudable, "but our kids won't come close to achieving this goal with the proposed education funding cuts." 

The next in a series of town halls on education funding is set for 7 to 9 p.m. on May 16 at Walled Lake Consolidated Schools' Walnute Creek Middle School, 7601 Walnut Lake, West Bloomfield.