If students have their phones in their pockets, the temptation to look at them in class will remain. The second issue is that allowing smartphones at lunch and in-between classes robs students of crucial face-to-face socialization.
Guest Commentary
At Bridge, we believe in listening to voices from all over our state. Got something to say? Contact us and join the conversation (details below)
How to submit a Guest Commentary
What to know:
Bridge welcomes a diversity of voices and perspectives from readers on issues important to Michigan. Guest commentaries reflect the views of the author(s), and are independent of the nonpartisan, fact-driven reporting of Bridge’s newsroom staff.
Commentaries must be the author’s original work and preferably will not have appeared first in other publications. Bridge reserves the right to decline submissions at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit commentary for grammar, clarity, brevity or to address legal or factual concerns. We may offer editing suggestions, but in the service of making your work more accessible, not to alter your views.
We do not pay for guest commentary.
Here are some guidelines:
- Columns are usually 500-700 words
- They generally focus on a Michigan topic or policy and should avoid ad hominem attacks
- The more direct, distinct and/or intimate your perspective, the more effective your column will be
- The best columns do more than identify problems; they also offer solutions and facts to back them up
- Please include a one- or two-sentence bio, including the writer’s organization or relevant background.
- Authors must show their work, by backing up facts with links to reports or studies
- Bridge does not publish self-promotional columns or candidate endorsements
- Send a good quality, large headshot of the writer(s) as an attachment
- We also ask that, in return for publishing a guest commentary, the author(s) and their organizations generously promote the link to the published column through your Facebook, Twitter and other social or professional networks.
That’s about it. Keep the writing clear, conversational and free of jargon, and sell our smart and receptive readership on the argument you are trying to make.
Who to contact:
Email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Please briefly describe who you are and what you would like to say and put the words “guest commentary” in the email subject line.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Detroit should follow Cleveland’s suit with Universal Basic Employment
Too often, joblessness is framed as an individual failure. It’s a community issue, and a pilot program in Cleveland offers public service jobs to those facing unemployment or unstable work.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Michigan’s public universities power the state’s economy
Michigan’s public universities are not only centers of learning, research and discovery; they are also among the most significant drivers of statewide economic growth, job creation, increased personal earnings and tax revenue.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion: A legislative agenda that puts students first
The state superintendent outlines 2026 legislative priorities. They include structured literacy training for educators, adequate and equitable school funding, summer learning programs, career and technical education, workforce stability and better learning conditions.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Detroit Auto Show highlights why Michigan needs stable, fair trade policy
A new nonpartisan group is working to promote conversations about smart, consistent and fair trade policy, without political games being played by local politicians.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Climate change missing from the debate about data centers in Michigan
The lack of language and leadership around climate change has become far more concerning as the number and size of data center proposals in Michigan has increased.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Why I am so passionate about literacy
Michigan is a politically divided state where education policy often shifts with elections. That makes discipline and consistency even more important. Reading improvement does not happen in one budget cycle or one administration. It takes time, evidence and resolve.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | New study finds Rx Kids can stabilize households, boost economy
In addition to creating jobs, the program is also estimated to contribute to higher wages, minor population growth from in-migration and increased property values.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Want to increase college graduates in Michigan? Expand dual enrollment
Michigan should incentivize school districts to expand dual enrollment options by changing the funding model, which currently requires districts to pay for dual enrollment out of their per-pupil allotment.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Opinion | Michigan schools need more than Mississippi
Higher-level skills are not taught through phonics alone. That’s why improving early decoding isn’t enough to prepare kids for real-world reading and writing.