BATs Call Out Eastern Michigan University for Aligning with TFA and EAA! 

To the Members of the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents, President Martin, and Provost Schatzel,

We are writing to you as public school teachers. We are calling for an immediate end to Eastern Michigan University’s association with the Education Achievement Authority (EAA).  Eastern Michigan University has had a longstanding reputation for excellence in connection with its College of Education and teacher preparation programs.  The EAA has had many accounts of inadequate resources, squandering of taxpayer funds, discipline issues, high teacher turnover, declines in student enrollment, and other missteps. The use of Teach for America recruits, individuals who receive a crash course in instruction, are staffing EAA classrooms. This is a direct slap in the face to the current and former students of the university’s College of Education who complete a comprehensive and diverse sequence of courses and training in order to be fully prepared for the varying challenges of classroom teaching. The most egregious issue, however, has been the use of students and teachers as guinea pigs to test and improve the software product of a private company using taxpayer funds while offering little more than wasted screen-time to some of the most destitute students in our community. The idea that the university would be affiliated with using the region’s most at-risk students to try out an untested educational approach while using technology resources that have been indefensibly publicized to be of high merit goes against any rational thought.

These actions have gone against every aspect of Eastern Michigan University’s mission statement, institutional guiding principles, and institutional values .The fact that Eastern Michigan University is connected to such an atrocious example of education is disgraceful.  We could not in good faith encourage someone to attend Eastern Michigan University, let alone enroll in its College of Education given the hypocrisy demonstrated by the agreement with the Education Achievement Authority. This failed experiment with the most needy children of Detroit has gone on too long with far too many serious issues. The relationship between Eastern Michigan University and the Education Achievement Authority must end now. We implore you to take immediate action and sever ties with the EAA in order to begin the process of rebuilding EMU’s reputation as a leader in education.

This letter was written from an original letter sent by Michigan BAT and EMU Alumni Jon Marceau