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In The News

Teachers strike talk raises criticism

Grand Rapids Press, June 8, 2008

When Grand Rapids teachers union president Paul Helder compared their fight against the board's actions to contain costs and reform the district to the civil rights movement, we couldn't let the outrageous statement stand unchallenged.  We called him out on it because if there's anyone engaged in a civil rights struggle, it's the kids and parents.  In the Press's weekly Polpourri column, instead of addressing the issue, Helder resorted to name-calling.  Maybe it's a good thing his union activites prevent him from stepping inside a classroom.

Who's in It For What?

Michigan Forward, May/June, 2008

The Michigan Chamber magazine invited EAG to submit a Viewpoint article based on MESSA's resistance to reform which provided a natural opportunity to bring attention to MEAexposed.com.  With regards to tax increases, we wrote, "...the pro-government growth people got their part of the bargain, those that want to reform the way government operates need to get their part, too."

Teachers' rally highlights concerns in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids Press, May 4, 2008

The Grand Rapids teachers union held a rally with paltry turnout in an effort to get out the vote for Tuesday's school board election.  In response to our mailing featuring a "cigar-chomping tough guy," a teacher showed up at the rally "dressed as a cigar-chomping mobster to deflect a group's attempt to portray the Michigan Education Association as a bunch of money-grabbing gangsters."  Note to self: if I don't want to further promote a stereotype, don't play into it.

Group calls for new school leadership

WWMT, May 1, 2008

Kalamazoo-based CBS-affiliate WWMT publishes a story that claims we "launched a major campaign to urge people...to vote for change."  Um...what?  Not exactly, but we'll take the TV time...

Tensions rise with teachers heats up Grand Rapids school board election

Grand Rapids Press, May 1, 2008

Our billboard and postcard campaign to Grand Rapids residents has caught a lot of attention and a Grand Rapids Press article brings it more.  The front page can be viewed in PDF format here.

Controversial anti-teachers' union billboard in Grand Rapids

WOODTV, April 30, 2008

Little did we know putting a billboard up along US 131 would cause such attention.  NBC-affiliate WOODTV reported live in front of the location as the lead story, ahead of even the governor's emergency surgery!

School board discusses billboards

Escanaba Daily Press, April 22, 2008

To launch our project MEAexposed.com, EAG posted two billboards in the community of Gladstone to draw attention to some facts we stumbled upon in that community and to drive citizens to the website.

We couldn't garner any attention until some naysayers brought it up at a public meeting.

Education Action Group rants against school employees

MEA Voice, March 2008

The MEA Voice published a full page article on EAG in its monthly magazine.  By comparison, on September 10, 2007, a MEA spokeswoman was quoted in the Grand Rapids Press as saying, "We just don't know anything about them."  In just a few short months, we're glad to know our message is having a big enough impact to warrant a full page of ink from the union.  Ironically, the article was provided by a teacher tired of paying compulsory dues.

While the article is--surprise--rife with embellishments and inaccuracies, their grip must be threatened enough to give us attention.

State of the Unions

American School Board Journal, April 2008

The ASBJ published a story about union involvement in school board elections and our 'Follow the Money' page gets a mention.  The most stunning lines are at the beginning, talking about tactics used against boards: giant rats, spitting on cars, and tacks under non-striking teachers' tires.  We are professional adults, aren't we?

Force insurers to share data faster

Detroit News , Feb. 21, 2008

A follow-up column to our October piece on the new law creating competition in the school insurance market and require insurer to release claims data to districts that pay for it.  To summarize the column in one paragraph: "Since it officially became law on Dec. 1, how many districts have obtained the information from MESSA? None."

Schools can learn something from businesses
MiBiz, Jan. 7, 2008

We started the year off right by calling for districts to adopt more business-like policies, including contracting and competitive bidding to harness competition to their advantage.

Teacher union tactics set bad example for students
The Oakland Press, Dec. 26, 2007

After watching idiocy in action in a number of districts around the state, we were compelled to write about it.

Tracking union money in school board elections

Michigan Education Report , Nov. 14, 2007

EAG is quoted because of it's 'Follow the Money' page on this website.  A very thorough article, found here.

Counter union influence on school boards
The Detroit News, Nov. 9, 2007
If taxpayers have any hope of getting control of the way things work in our schools, they must be engaged in school board politics. The Detroit News ran a column we penned calling for taxpayers to counter the union influence on school elections.

EAG Announces Legislative Leadership Awards
Grand Haven Tribune, Nov. 1, 2007
EAG announced two legislators, Speaker of the House Andy Dillon and State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, were receiving the 2007 Legislative Leadership Award for passage of Senate Bill 418. The Grand Haven Tribune covered the announcement.

EAG Involves Holton Residents in Negotiations
The Muskegon Chronicle, Oct. 19, 2007
As this article notes, EAG recently took the extraordinary step of putting public information into the hands of the public (such as data from this PDF), a move an MEA Uniserv director involved with that district called "counterproductive." Based on the positive reaction we've received from average citizens and school employees, we'll do it again.

'School boards must exploit chance to but health costs'
The Detroit News, Oct. 4, 2007
We wrote a hard-hitting commentary with Dick Morris that ran in The Detroit News urging school boards to take the opportunity the legislature has given them to get claims history data from MESSA, which will allow districts to shop around for high-quality benefits at probably much lower prices than MESSA's.

EAG is 'MEA Watchdog'
Grand Rapids Press, Sept. 3, 2007, 1B
The Grand Rapids Press ran a profile piece on EAG, which was also picked up by the Muskegon Chronicle. It generated a lot of interest from all over the state.

'MEA should clean up its own MESSA'
Sept. 4, 2007, MiBiz
MiBiz, a West Michigan bi-weekly business newspaper, ran an Op-Ed we penned challenging the union and MESSA to help schools out with their massive reserves. The Norton-Lakeshore Examiner also printed the column.

EAG discussed on The Frank Beckmann Show
Aug. 28, 2007, WJR Radio
Frank Beckmann hosted Steve Kovacs, a Rochester school board member, on his daily radio show on Detroit's WJR. We hadn't been able to find a recording of the interview, until now (hat tip to Mike Reno). Frank and Steve discuss a complaint (at 15:45) EAG has filed with the Secretary of State over contributions the MEA PAC has made.

"Ridiculous recall effort fails"
July 30, 2007, Grand Rapids Press, 11A
David Allen's recall threat is over and in a letter to the editor, we challenged the organizers to 1. apologize to Mr. Allen and his family and 2. reimburse the county for the legal fees they incurred due holding 3 petition language clarity hearings.

"Rallying Against Recall"
July 1, 2007, Grand Rapids Press, 1B
Grand Rapids school board member David Allen is facing a recall threat from local Nation of Islam leader Kenneth Muhammad. Muhammad, incidently, has been receiving help from the MEA. The second item of this week's Polpourri has a blurb about EAG standing with Allen.