At Michigan Education Association Forum, Benson Outlines Plan to Invest in Educators
At Michigan Education Association Forum, Benson Outlines Plan to Invest in Educators
Today, Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson took part in the Michigan Education Association’s gubernatorial candidate forum where she shared her vision to make Michigan the best place to be a kid, raise a kid, and call home with fellow educators and union members.
Benson is a former educator and as the daughter of two special education teachers, she understands firsthand what Michigan educators face every day. That’s why one of the first policies she previewed in her campaign was her plan to make Michigan one of the top 10 states in the country for public education.
Benson on teacher recruitment and retention: “I can see nothing that is more important than addressing the educator shortage in our state. … Number one, of course, we need to ensure that compensation and that you all are getting paid for the professionals that you are and the work that you do … We want to invest in wraparound services so that you have continued investment in professional growth, and training, and all the resources you need to grow in your profession and serve the kids in your community … because I know that's what you signed up to do, and it's our job to make sure you're compensated fairly as a result.”
Benson on investing in public education: “Michigan has defunded our schools at a higher rate than any other state for the last three decades … Democrats in charge have started to restock some of that money, but none of that is going to be enough until we do away with the one size fits all funding model that is at the root of the reason why you are not getting the support and funds that you need, because you know what is needed in a school in Alpena is different than what is needed in a school in Muskegon that is different than what's needed in Detroit, it's different what's needed in the U.P., period. … [W]e have to change the structure of how we are funding education in this state if we are going to get that goal we all have, which is for our schools to be the best in the nation.
Benson on standing up to attacks on education funding: “[W]e also need a governor who, if the President of the United States is going to cut funding, knows how to stand up to him and ensure that we get that funding. And I'm the only one on the stage, you know as Secretary of State, who has, throughout my time in office, been unafraid to stand up to anyone who would get in the way of what we need here in Michigan to protect our schools and our education and election system. I've done that as Secretary of State, and I'll do that as governor.”
Secretary Benson previewed her plan for strengthening Michigan’s public school last June.
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