Educators for Affordable Water: Sign-on Letter

To: Honorable Members of the Michigan State Legislature

We, who work to educate children in Michigan, want to bring your attention to the thousands of students and their families who struggle regularly with unaffordable water bills. For this reason, we support the proposed legislation presently being considered in the Michigan House (HBs 5088-5093) and Senate (SBs 489-454 and SB25).

The package of bills offers a statewide program to make water affordable for all eligible residents of our state, including many students sitting in our classrooms. The program also offers protections from water shutoffs and reimburse local utilities for the cost of providing affordable bills.

As educators, we are concerned about the safety and welfare of our students and their families. One of the greatest dangers faced by some of our students is the reality of not having access to water and adequate sanitation. Physical and mental health, hygiene, and dignity are at stake.  Some of us have quietly assisted students whose households have had water shut off due to unaffordable bills. 

We know that from the minute our students get up in the morning until they go to bed at night, they are dependent on water and adequate sanitation.  The physical, emotional, and social toll taken on students living in homes that are water insecure is incalculable.  In some cases, unaffordable water bills lead parents to pay for water instead of other necessities, like food, medicine, and housing. All of these consequences of water insecurity work against student well-being and optimal learning.

We cannot say that we support Michigan’s children and then deny them access to life-giving water. As educators, we have a duty to advocate for policies that allow our students to thrive. We, the undersigned, support the proposed water bills package and call upon all our Michigan legislators to stand with our children and their families by passing these bills. 

A summary of the bills and more information about water affordability in Michigan can be found at MIWaterPlan.com 

(Please sign below, alphabetized by location)

  1. Kelly Margot, Allendale, Associate Professor, Educational Differentiation at GVSU
  2. Khari Brown, Ann Arbor, Professor of Sociology at Wayne State University
  3. Michael Murphy, Augusta, KCC Instructor
  4. Linda Pence, Beverly Hills, Teacher-retired.
  5. Holly Hammerle, Bloomfield Hills, Teacher. 
  6. Lori Lutz, Bloomfield Hills, Retired Associate Director, The Roeper Institute
  7. Victor Kennerly, Canton, Professor of counseling
  8. Nicole Gerring, Dearborn, Project Coordinator
  9. Kelly Herrick, Dearborn, Retired educator
  10. Marlyne Kilbey, Dearborn, Professor     
  11. Kellyn Szajnecki, Dearborn, Teacher
  12. Elvia Murga-Zeno, Dearborn Heights, Director of Social Emotional Counseling Department
  13. Peter Blackmer, Detroit, Assistant Professor, Eastern Michigan University
  14. Lashon Clay, Detroit, Teacher 
  15. Christine Crawford, Detroit, Social Worker
  16. Robert Dalka, Detroit, Assistant Professor of Physics
  17. Susan Gallagher, Detroit,  LMSW, Retired SSW, Detroit Public Schools
  18. Laura Garcia, Detroit, Teacher Corporate Work Study classes (work skills)
  19. Hope Gibson, Detroit, Educator
  20. James Graves, Detroit, Faculty, Univ of Detroit Mercy
  21. Lindsay Karty, Detroit, Independence Paraprofessional, Boggs School
  22. Jill Kress,  Detroit, Student Enrichment Coordinator
  23. Danielle Maxwell,  Detroit, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
  24. Kathleen McBride, Detroit, Retired Principal.
  25. James Perkinson, Detroit, Professor of Social Ethics and Theology/Ecumenical Theological Seminary
  26. Spencer Price, Detroit, Teacher
  27. Kimberly Redigan, Detroit, Director of Campus Ministry, Detroit Cristo Rey High School
  28. Sydney Redigan,  Detroit, Teacher
  29. Amanda Rosman, Detroit, Executive Director, K-8 School, 
  30. Michelle Sheng, Detroit, Teacher
  31. Alexander Slavsky, Detroit, Teacher
  32. Richard Smith, Detroit, Professor of Social Work.
  33. Jo-Ann Snyder, Detroit, Professor of Education (retired), Wayne State University
  34. Samuel Stolper, Detroit, Assistant Professor of Environmental Economics
  35. Lara Treemore-Spears, Detroit, Research Project Manager, Wayne State University 
  36. Sylvia Oatley, Farmington, Teacher
  37. Marcus Dickson, Farmington, Professor of Psychology at Wayne State University
  38. Audrey Pleasant, Farmington Hills, Public School Teacher, Retired
  39. Marnina Falk, Ferndale, Former DPSCD teacher and current Instructional Strategist
  40. Rachel Frank, Ferndale, Director of Impact & Innovation   
  41. Mara Livezey, Ferndale, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
  42. Jocelyn Levin, MPH, Grosse Pointe, Professor at Wayne State University 
  43. Caen Thomason-Redus, Grosse Pointe Park, Music Instructor, UM-Flint
  44. Monty Ernst, Kalamazoo, Instructor
  45. Allison Kamal, Lansing, teacher 
  46. Ruth Biersdorf, Lathrup Village, Retired librarian
  47. Ryan Ennis, Livonia, Teacher   
  48. Anne Perez, Livonia, Professional Learning Specialist, former HS English teacher
  49. Steve Spreitzer, Livonia, Racial and Social Justice Education
  50. Caleb Smith, Macomb, Teacher Macomb Intermediate School District 
  51. Donna Weingarden, Novi, Retired Special Ed. Teacher
  52. Robert A. Martin,  Oakland County, Oakland University Faculty
  53. Michael Spaeth, Oakland County, Youth Services Librarian
  54. Rosemary Tinetti, Oakland County, Counselor, Oakland Community College
  55. Kerry Marroni, Oscoda, Retired teacher/Media Specialist Novi Community Schools
  56. Paul Agosta, Plymouth, President -Applied Technology Systems
  57. Karen Touchstone, Plymouth,School Psychologist 
  58. Minnie Phillips, Rochester Hills, Retired Assistant Superintendent, Rochester Community Schools
  59. Arthur L. Liebhaber, Royal Oak, Librarian
  60. Linda Slowik, Royal Oak, Professor
  61. Diane Weckerle, Royal Oak, retired Nursing Instructor, Eastern Michigan University
  62. Melissa Wilson, Royal Oak, Retired public school teacher and current student teacher supervisor 
  63. Hans Wittrock, Shelby Township, Teacher
  64. David Ascher, South Lyon, Principal, retired
  65. Ashley Hodge, Southfield, Counselor 
  66. Sam Stark, Southfield, Retired, UAW Education Dept., Discussion Leader
  67. Hillary Sesi, Sterling Heights, School Counselor
  68. Peggy Case, Thompsonville, Retired Pontiac teacher
  69. Carl Weckerle, Warren, Member, Warren Consolidated Schools, Board of Education
  70. Pamela Weckerle, Warren, Elementary School Teacher
  71. Shannon Hall, Wayne County, Executive Director (Former Early Childhood Professional)
  72. Shawntay Perry, Wayne County, Social Worker, LMSW 
  73. Melvin Chudnof, West Bloomfield, Professor Oakland Community College
  74. Nena Chudnof, West Bloomfield, Elementary teacher
  75. Carolyn Lowe, West Bloomfield, Teacher
  76. Barry Rubin, West Bloomfield, Retired Teacher, Principal, Pontiac Schools
  77. Rochelle Rubin, West Bloomfield, Retired Teacher, Science Coordinator
  78. Linda Samelson, West Bloomfield, retired educator
  79. Sadaf Ali, Ypsilanti, Professor Digital Media and Journalism
  80. Nancy Davis, Ypsilanti, LRE Teacher Consultant and VP FWISE 3760
  81. Caralee Jones-Obeng, Ypsilanti, Assistant Professor
  82. Jayne Yatczak, Ypsilanti, professor   

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