Guest Commentary

It would be healthy for our democracy and for the voices of all citizens to see a blend of urban and rural people in legislative districts. Then elected officials would really need to consider everyone's needs more evenly.

It is time we value those who touch and teach our children at arguably the most important point in their lifelong learning something consonant with their work and worth.

Michigan residents without state-issued identification struggle to access financial resources and educational opportunities and safely get to work, school, and medical appointments. That needs to change.

Like the rest of the world, Michigan must work toward mitigating the projected trajectory of climate change by significantly reducing our greenhouse gas generation.

Many states have a history of placing financial burdens on local governments. Few have been so brazen, devious and destructive as has Michigan

It is time that the state met the childcare needs of working families and the business community while promoting stronger educational outcomes for the next generation of workers.

We can have both protections against COVID-19 and the benefits of in-person learning if we are willing to take common sense measures in Michigan’s schools, including wearing face masks.

Providing students with non-academic resources like food and child care is the most practical way to increase academic success.

Despite receiving this federal funds for child care support months ago, lawmakers in Lansing have barely budged on getting these dollars to Michigan families and child care providers.

We need to not only better educate the public on non-opioid options but make it available to surgeons and remove barriers from our health providers.

Michigan served as a dress rehearsal for the January insurrection when armed rioters entered our Capitol April 30, 2020. It’s vital that those connections be investigated.

How do you suppose we get children back in school and not vaccinate and not have them wear masks? If we want children to benefit from sports participation and in-person school, we need common-sense measures to protect students.

With so much at risk to every child who isn't vaccinated, discouraging a simple safety measure that can protect lives – wearing a mask in school – is as reckless and foolish as it is negligent.

Michigan’s Republican Senate Majority Leader argues that mask mandates are a ‘solution in search of a problem’ and inconvenient facts about COVID-19 are ignored by policymakers and public health officials.

Michigan’s school superintendent writes that critical race theory isn’t taught in public schools, but “to chose to ignore race and racism in our teaching is to … erase history.”

The authors argue that hiring Washington, D.C. law firm BakerHostetler as litigation consultant would subvert the nonpartisan mission of the commission as it redraws the state’s unfairly gerrymandered political maps.

Public education and the life-changing learnings students gain from it are under attack, writes a Michigan middle school history teacher.

Despite the growing mental health needs of students, Michigan has a dearth of health professionals working in schools.

Many believe the current worker shortage is due to high unemployment pay prompted by the pandemic. That oversimplifies a complex issue exacerbated by Michigan’s stock of quality affordable housing, which has been shrinking for 30 years.

A Republican legislator believes the state’s Democratic governor isn’t interested in reforms local businesses need to stay afloat.