There is a lot of confusion around the opening of Michigan public schools this fall. | Pixabay
There is a lot of confusion around the opening of Michigan public schools this fall. | Pixabay
As the school year approaches, it’s not clear who is in charge in Michigan, writes Michael Van Beek, director of research at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Legislature and local school boards all seem to believe they have authority to make decisions about how schools will operate next year,” Van Beek wrote early in August.
The state constitution is clear that it is actually the Legislature that runs the schools, according to Van Beek.
“As a result, nearly all the current policies guiding how public schools operate are created through the normal lawmaking activity of the Legislature,” Van Beek wrote on his Mackinac Center blog.
The Legislature this summer passed bills that leave the decisions up to local school districts on whether to have in-person instruction, online instruction or a combination of the two.
"But that legislative proposal will almost certainly be vetoed by the governor, who has her own plan for schools, released June 30,” wrote Van Beek on Mackinac's website.
Whitmer’s plan says only schools in areas that are in Phase 4 of the reopening plan may offer in-person instruction. Whitmer is also setting policy through executive orders, which require schools to abide by the same safeguards as workplaces.
“If schools do not create plans, they are not allowed to offer in-person instruction, according to the governor’s executive order,” Van Beek wrote in his blog.
As long as there is a declared state of emergency, Whitmer believes she is at the helm of education policy, “but her plan is missing many details and is inconsistent with her other directives,” according to Van Beek.
Understandably, parents have questions.
“If they want to influence these decisions that will affect their daily lives, should they contact their local school board, state representative or the governor? “ Van Beek asked. “Who is in charge of Michigan’s public schools, exactly?”
He concluded, “Unless something changes, parents aren’t likely to get an answer before September."
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