(From The Detroit News, December 16, 2009)
By KAREN BOUFFARD
Lansing — House and Senate Democrats chided their Democratic colleagues today to get on board with sweeping education reforms needed to win up to $400 million in federal Race to the Top funds.
The comments by state Rep. Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, and Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit, came as the lawmakers announced formation of a political action committee, Michigan Democrats for Education Reform.
The committee was announced as lawmakers work to hammer out details of a reform package that must be passed before they break for the holidays at the end of Thursday’s legislative session if Michigan is to meet a Jan. 19 deadline to apply for the money.
Bills passed in the House, which is dominated by Democrats, and in the Republican-led Senate, would link teacher pay to test scores, open more charter schools, and include other reform measures opposed by teachers’ unions and many pro-union Democrats.
“What’s been terrible for me the last few years is watching the communities that are most affected by this, that are Democratic districts, and Democrats seem to be the ones that don’t want to stand up and say enough is enough,” said Melton, chair of the House Education Committee. “Well, enough is enough.
“Let’s get the best operators in the country in the areas with the highest need. Let’s close down the bad operators. Lets give parents the choice. … We know now that the new civil rights movement of our generation is quality education.”
While the House and Senate have passed similar packages of education reform bills, the chambers have many differences that are being ironed out.
Melton said the parties are talking nearly “around the clock,” and he expects compromise bills to pass out of conference committee by Thursday morning.
The Michigan group is among a growing number of state chapters of the national Democrats for Education Reform. Detroit-area education reformer Harrison Blackmond is Michigan director.