They showed up 5,000 strong but it's unlikely the teacher's
demonstration did much to change the dynamics inside the capitol as
lawmakers continue to haggle over spending on schools..or lack of
spending as the teacher/protestors shouted on the capitol lawn last
week.
One by one the special interest groups have marched up to the
capitol in the time-honored tradition of demanding more from
legislators for this program or that.
The members of the Michigan Education Association will only the
latest to demand that lawmakers "stop cutting our benefits" and
"provide a stable funding source for schools."
MEA leaders complained about the double message that lawmakers
send: When they are running for office, they label education their top
proririty, but once they arrive in Lansing, some run for cover when the
teachers demand more bucks.
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and the MEA endorsed candidate for
governor made that very point. He wondered out loud and sarcastically
that maybe there was something in the water that flowed into the
capitol that resulted in lawmakers losing their way when it comes to
supporting the schools.
While the protestors waved their "Enough is Enough" placards and
danced to the disco ditty "I Will Survive", Sen. Mike Bishop and his
GOP buddies were holding fast to the "no revenue increases" for anybody
including the singing teachers outdoors.
In fact Bishop contends, "For anybody to come up here and suggest
that we don't prioritize the school community, that is outrageous."
Then he added since the passage of Proposal A, the schools have
benefited from "$5 billion in state support" and the current budget he
says will hold the schools harmless while other state programs are
slashed.
His advice to the teachers, who won't like this one iota, is to
take what they have and "get out of Dodge quick."