Rep. Calley Leg Council

Just got home from a Leg Council meeting with Rep. Brian Calley at the Corner Landing. For close to 2 hours we (about 10 people total) had a very good discussion with him. The topics ranged from the most recent election results to differentiated diploma endorsements/designations. About half way through the meeting, it finally dawned on me that his ideas around different endorsements for diplomas is another way to look at the dropout crisis facing our schools. It allowed for the opportunity to show that the recent dropout hearings that MEA helped to organize across the state has a connection to the ideas that our state rep has. At the end of the conversation, we asked him what message he would like us to share with our members. He wanted us to have our members get behind an issue that they feel is important...I think that he would like this to be the issue regarding differentiated diplomas that he has done some work on . However, he made this message clear....MEA is a powerful organization that can make things happen in Lansing. He pointed out victories of MEA recommended candidates, the impact of the dropout hearings, and how Lansing pays attention when MEA gets behind an issue. For me, this made me think about how MEA has the potential of taking issues at the grassroots level and using the power of our organization to make substantive changes in the educational process. Essentially, it is time for our members to get politically active. It is time to use the power and strength that MEA has in order to create the changes that we want to see.

On a final note, how important is it to become politically active? Rep. Calley made the comment that the campaign for 2010 state legislative seats has already started. That means the PAC dollars you contribute today will help to continue to elect those legislators that continue to do what is best for public education.