Posts published in “Guest Column”

  The tide is turning when it comes to kids and smartphones. Teachers, parents and even children are realizing that having the internet in your pocket during the school day is a disaster. What algebra…

  Across Michigan, county sheriffs are on the front lines of the opioid crisis. We see its tragic impacts every day — in the faces of those who come into our jails battling addiction, in…

  Like many Michiganders, I’ve struggled to make sense of my medical bills. Recently, I found basic math errors on a bill. I felt a familiar dread — not just about the error, but about…

  As president of Iron Workers Local 25, representing over 5,000 active and retired iron workers across the state of Michigan, I’ve seen an American manufacturing renaissance thanks to federal clean energy tax credits. New…

  In May 2024, surrounded by colleagues, students and even my family, I was surprised in a schoolwide assembly naming me the 2024-2025 Michigan Teacher of the Year. As my hands literally shook with astonishment,…

  “I prefer studying alone,” the high schooler told me. “Why,” I asked. He responded, “Because I don’t have any friends.” My heart sank. In moments involving such a “heavy statement of truth,” I know…

  Our nation’s social safety net may soon unravel before our eyes. As the CEO of MiSide, a Detroit-based nonprofit providing housing, early childhood education, employment support, and behavioral health services, I see potential threads…

  Most people hope never to visit an emergency department. But CDC data shows that nearly 140 million Americans annually utilize emergency department care — often during the most vulnerable moments of their lives. It’s…

  The proverb “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” underscores the importance of empowering individuals by providing…