Issue Position: Education Bill - HB 5372

Issue Position

In recent education-related news, the Michigan House approved budgets for both K-12 and university funding. HB 5372 passed 58-51, despite having six Republicans cross the aisle and vote with their Democratic counterparts to defeat the bill. Though the bill does increase funding overall, it does not make up for past cuts which have left many school districts in a financial hole. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the bill is the provision prohibiting universities from using state funds for work with non-profit worker centers "whose documented activities include coercion through protest, demonstration or organization against a Michigan business." (Section 273A)

Allow me to quote the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution here before I continue: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

And yet, our Republican legislature sees no issue with making a law that abridges the right to peaceably assemble. By telling our public universities that they are not allowed to use state funds to associate with any group that has ever exercised its First Amendment rights they are doing irreparable harm not only to the reputations of these fine institutions, but to the State of Michigan and the United States Constitution.

How could this happen? Why is such a thing in a budget bill at all? This provision was lobbied for by the Michigan Restaurant Association, which was upset that a University of Michigan student had organized a protest against a Dearborn restaurant accused of violating several federal laws. So essentially, a private enterprise association paid the Republican legislature to prohibit Michigan's public universities from using tax dollars (mine and yours) to exercise federally guaranteed rights that apply to everyone in this country. Well, everyone except our college students. I wonder how much money it took to subvert our Bill of Rights. What does it take for a person who has a duty to protect our laws to turn his or her back on them?

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