Hall Failed Michigan’s Kids. McMahon Wants to Finish the Job.

Behind the speeches and photo ops: a coordinated attack on Michigan’s classrooms.

Detroit’s public schools are already stretched to the breaking point, yet federal and state officials continue to push policies that make life harder for students, teachers, and communities. During a visit to Renaissance High School yesterday afternoon, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was joined by Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, two leaders whose agendas, one at the federal level, the other at the state level, intersect in ways that threaten the very institutions they claim to support. While McMahon touts “state control” and Hall defends a deeply underfunded budget, the combined impact is clear: public schools are being hollowed out in the name of reform.

Federal Reform or Federal Undermining?

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s recent stop at Detroit’s Renaissance High School was pitched as part of her “Returning Education to the States Tour,” after earlier visits to Hillsdale and Midland. While she talks about giving power back to local schools, her real agenda is clear: pushing Betsy DeVos–style voucher schemes that drain funding from public schools and funnel our tax dollars into private institutions. Instead of defending the Department of Education, McMahon is working to dismantle it piece by piece — leaving public education starved and students shortchanged.

McMahon rolled into Detroit talking about “efficiency” and “accountability.” Translation? Gut public schools, funnel your tax dollars to private ones, and axe diversity programs along the way. This isn’t about helping kids — it’s about pushing a political agenda and leaving our schools weaker by design.

Hall Joins the Attack on Michigan Schools

Matt Hall showed up in Detroit with McMahon, making it crystal clear: Lansing’s cuts and DC’s privatization schemes are part of the same playbook. Hall’s failure to pass a school budget means Michigan kids walked into classrooms this fall with fewer teachers, gutted programs like free lunch, and no stability. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with McMahon isn’t just a photo op — it’s a message. They’re not here to fix public education. They’re here to dismantle it.

But Detroit wasn’t silent. A group of protesters gathered outside the school to send a message right back: we value our public schools, and neither McMahon nor Hall has any business tearing down the one system that should serve every kid — no matter their background, race, or zip code.

The Real Impact on Communities

The message from McMahon and Hall is clear: public education is expendable. For families and communities, the fight for equitable funding and resources is more urgent than ever. Advocacy, public pressure, and community engagement are essential to counter policies that destabilize the institutions serving millions of students every day.

One way we’re fighting back right now is through the Invest in MI Kids ballot initiative — a plan to make the wealthiest 1% finally pay their fair share so Michigan’s public schools get an additional $1 billion every year. This is how we rebuild classrooms, restore programs, and give every kid a shot at success. Make you sign this initiative so we get it on the ballot next year! Learn more and sign up to volunteer today — because our kids deserve more than budget cuts and broken promises. INVEST IN MI KIDS INFO HERE

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