Tom McMillin - one of the most conservative members of the House Republican Caucus - now chairs the House Education Committee
McMillin has sponsored or co-cosponsored countless bills that are aimed solely at damaging union in Michigan and, as reported by Bruce Fealk of the Rochester Citizen, McMillin is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing organization that cranks out hundreds of "model bills" for use by their members in state legislatures across the country to push their anti -union, pro-corporate, pro-privatization agenda.
McMillian's antipathy toward teachers and their union, the Michigan Education Association (MEA), is obvious. In a recent interview with the Mackinac Center's Capital Confidential blog, he describes the MEA as a group of bullies three separate times, in a statement regarding his appointment to the chair of the Education Committee, McMillin wrote:
"Michigan's children deserve a quality education and that means we must thoroughly examine how
the system is currently failing them. We cannot sacrifice our future by continually focusing dollars
on special interests rather than classrooms."
One can only assume this was said with irony and a tongue planted firmly in this cheek since he and his Republican colleagues striped $1 BILLION from education last year to fund, in part, and 86% tax cut for corporations.
McMillian's antipathy toward teachers and their union, the Michigan Education Association (MEA), is obvious. In a recent interview with the Mackinac Center's Capital Confidential blog, he describes the MEA as a group of bullies three separate times, in a statement regarding his appointment to the chair of the Education Committee, McMillin wrote:
"Michigan's children deserve a quality education and that means we must thoroughly examine how
the system is currently failing them. We cannot sacrifice our future by continually focusing dollars
on special interests rather than classrooms."
One can only assume this was said with irony and a tongue planted firmly in this cheek since he and his Republican colleagues striped $1 BILLION from education last year to fund, in part, and 86% tax cut for corporations.
.... An email sent to McMillin by Mackinac Center senior legislative analyst Jack McHugh
"Our goal is (to) outlaw government collective bargaining in Michigan, which in practical terms means no more MEA," wrote Jack McHugh of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, to state Rep. Thomas McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, the newly appointed head of the House Education Committee in a June 1 email.
The Midland-based group describes itself as a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life, often labeled as a free market think tank. McHugh is the group's senior legislative analyst and editor of MichiganVotes.org, a website that follows legislative activities.
McHugh sent the email on his Mackinac Center account to McMillin's personal account. Others included in email are Michael Van Beek,, the center's director for education policy: James Hohman, assistant director for fiscal policy, and Kenneth Braun, a policy analyst.
The exchange was given to The Press by Progress Michigan, a liberal advocacy group. Executive Director David Holtz declined to say how the group obtained the emails.
The Midland-based group describes itself as a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life, often labeled as a free market think tank. McHugh is the group's senior legislative analyst and editor of MichiganVotes.org, a website that follows legislative activities.
McHugh sent the email on his Mackinac Center account to McMillin's personal account. Others included in email are Michael Van Beek,, the center's director for education policy: James Hohman, assistant director for fiscal policy, and Kenneth Braun, a policy analyst.
The exchange was given to The Press by Progress Michigan, a liberal advocacy group. Executive Director David Holtz declined to say how the group obtained the emails.
