LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – House Republican Leader Matt Hall called out House Democrats’ partisan legislation on Tuesday after they passed House Bills 4233, 4354-4357, and 4820, which would expand the power of unions over Michigan’s public schools, enabling union bosses to bargain over key school decisions and take power away from elected school boards and parents.

“House Democrats are placing their Big Labor allies’ quest for power ahead of Michigan parents and students,” said Hall (R-Richland Township). “These radical bills will let union bosses run roughshod over our public schools – undermining our most effective teachers, robbing Michigan students of the quality education they deserve, and keeping parents in the dark about their kids’ schooling. At the same time, they’re increasing costs and taking critical school funding out of the classroom. This extreme, partisan agenda neglects the needs of Michigan students just to reward Democrats’ union boss backers.”

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Hall said in a statement that the bills would repeal provisions of Michigan law that require school personnel policies to prioritize effective teachers. Additionally, unions would have a say in teacher evaluations, classroom observations, employee discipline, teacher placement, parental notification about ineffective teachers, contracts for transportation and other nonacademic services, and more. The legislation would also let public schools use taxpayer funding to help unions collect dues from employees.

Hall said that the votes are not the first time this year Democrats have tried to make more school decisions subject to collective bargaining. In March, they tried to put a similar overhaul into legislation repealing core worker choice protections, but they backed off at the time when House Republicans and school leaders raised the alarm.

State Rep. Jaime Greene (R-Richmond Twp, Macomb Co.), who also opposes the bills, said that House Bill 4820 would remove a requirement that school administrators base personnel decisions on effective performance, demonstrated student growth, and other qualifications, and instead allow union bosses to drive teacher placement decisions.

Greene said in a statement, “Each decision that affects our schools should be made based on what’s best for students. This bill puts students last by allowing union bosses to pull strings based on seniority and undermines the ability of school administrators to evaluate teachers based on their qualifications and place them where students will benefit most.”

Greene also voted against House Bills 4233, 4354, 4356 and 4357, which she said would erode accountability in schools, make it harder to evaluate the effectiveness of the education Michigan students receive and allows unions to use school resources to collect dues. She said, “We invest public tax dollars in Michigan schools to educate children and teach them the skills they need to succeed in life. Using school resources to collect dues on behalf of labor unions is inappropriate. It does absolutely nothing to benefit our students.”

Michigan Education Association President Paula Herbart says about the legislation, “Today’s action by State Representatives passing bills that restore respect for our profession will make a difference in addressing our state’s educator shortage. Restoring fundamental workplace rights ensures local school employees’ voices are heard in their schools to continue improving the quality of education our kids receive. After all, educators’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions.”

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The bills now advances to the Senate for further consideration.