Earlier this year, Democrats cut critical school funding that would have gone to helping keep students of all walks of life safe. It’s typical for Democrats in Lansing to be hypocritical when it comes to student safety, parroting their standard talking points and attacking Republicans but in the end it was the Democrat majority that didn’t deliver. Republicans, to their credit, really made them pay for this. And thanks to Rep. Steele and other Republicans, Democrats restored part of the funds they previously cut earlier this year.
The new state school budget, passed by the Legislature earlier this year along partisan lines, included a $302 million cut to school safety and mental health funding, which local schools rely on to pay for school resource officers, guidance counselors, and building upgrades that keep students safe. The latest plan signed by the governor restores less than half of what was cut.
Here’s what Rep. Steele had to say:
“School safety and mental health should never be compromised,” said Steele, R-Orion Township. “The restoration of $125 million is a move in the right direction, but it doesn’t go far enough to address the significant shortfall our schools are facing. Many districts are still struggling to cover the costs of essential services, including resource officers and building upgrades that protect students.”
Read more here.