Governor Gretchen Whitmer last week wielded her veto pen as a vicious weapon against kids in Detroit and the public school teachers who dedicate their lives to educate them.
The Governor last Monday callously slashed $240 in annual per-pupil funding for the majority of students in the City of Detroit, and in public schools that disproportionately serve minority students and students from low-income families.
While Whitmer was taking money from public schools and public school teachers serving kids in some of the hardest-to-reach neighborhoods in the state, she signed a budget boosting funding for wealthy suburban schools. It was a deeply personal and troubling attack on many of the Michigan children who need help the most.
We’re not taking this attack lying down. Instead, we’re standing up for Michigan public school students. We hope you’ll join us.
“For the budget items she vetoed, Whitmer will have to resume negotiations with lawmakers on how to reallocate that money. She also will need the Legislature if she hopes to put in place a long-term plan to finance accelerated road work
GLEP:Whitmer Slashes Funding for Most Students in Detroit, Boosts Funding for Wealthy, Suburban Schools
“Governor Whitmer wielded her veto pen as a vicious weapon against kids in Detroit and the public school teachers who dedicate their lives to educate them,” said GLEP Executive Director Beth DeShone. “There’s no need to mince words. The Governor has callously and specifically attacked minority students, learners from low-income families, and public school kids in Detroit and urban neighborhoods.”
While cutting funding for minority, urban, and low-income public school students, Whitmer approved funding increases for students in high-income suburban schools.
It was a devastating attack on roughly 150,000 Michigan public school students.
Whitmer’s cut will disproportionately hurt those who need it most.
Her attack on minority students and their public school teachers came early last week through a line item veto of K-12 per pupil funding for public school students.
Fifty-three percent of students in Detroit attend public charter schools. Seventy-five percent of students in public charter schools qualify for federal lunch subsidies, compared to less than half of students in traditional public schools.
Every child deserves a high quality education, regardless of his or her zip code, and students from low-income families deserve as much help as anyone. The Governor is wrong to penalize public school students and their public school teachers.
