LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – People from across Michigan headed to the state Capitol on Tuesday to demand more education funding.
The 35 organizations that make up the Michigan Coalition for Educational Justice are calling for $4.5 billion to be added to next year's budget to fully fund schools. Lawmakers, the superintendent and students spoke about their experiences at the school, including high school senior Jason Dyer.
“Mental health in schools is terrible. In many of the classes I attend, I see students lying on their desks; They can't interact, they can't participate because they understand that the environment is not set up for them,” Dyer said.
Dyer said he was homeless until the eighth grade and was unable to receive any assistance from his school.
“None of the schools I went to had the resources, funding or support to help students facing this situation,” Dyer said.
The coalition is proposing that $10 million of the $4.5 billion be earmarked for transportation for foster care facilities and students experiencing homelessness. Autumn Butler, the event's organizer, had a different idea.
“We also want to spend $600,000 on school-to-prison pipeline interventions,” Butler said.
Dyer, a high school senior, said her school is like a pipeline to prison school. The coalition hopes that lawmakers will dedicate money to this issue. He also had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress on Tuesday. State Rep. Regina Weiss said she agrees the funding gap should be filled because she was a former public school teacher.
“We need to invest in an equitable way so that students who need more get more,” Weiss said.
Other funding proposals include $100 million in school facility grants to school districts with the highest needs. $80 million for English learner students. $300 million for mental health and $15 million for 17 Michigan cities with majority black residents.
State Rep. Brian Posthumus commented on the group's request. He says these protests show the state is failing to adequately support schools. He said that money alone cannot solve the problem and that the education system needs to be fundamentally overhauled.
