The right for education and state employees to collectively bargain will be one of the many proposals on the ballot this November.

Known as Proposal 2, the GOP opposition and right wing special interest groups are hard at work promoting half-truths and deliberate lies to discredit this amendment.

Both in-state and out-of-state corporate PAC committees have been spending millions of dollars on television ads seeking to pervert the truth and mislead the public into believing that the passage of Prop 2 will drive our society into chaos in an attempt to cause fear and panic among voters.

This sort of propaganda takes away the rights of average citizens to make up their own minds and make an informed decision when casting their ballots.

The opposition groups to Prop 2 are misleadingly claiming this amendment will lead to strikes by teachers and the destruction of our education system by causing a decrease in state funding. But the proposal doesn’t address school financing in any way and the threats of decreased funding originate from the GOP politicians in Lansing in the form of a veiled threat if Prop 2 were to pass.

In fact, this amendment is being supported by the members of the State Board of Education who have been elected to safeguard the future of our children. The opponents are also falsely claiming that it will eliminate background checks for school employees and allow a teacher to remain on the job after being accused of having sex with a student, both are repulsive lies.

Prop 2 will not in anyway put our children in danger. There are also claims from these PAC committees that Prop 2 would eliminate safety standards for bus drivers but that would be against both federal and state law.

Prop 2 is supported by most law enforcement officials and they are insulted by these contemptible lies concerning safety issues and have released statements that it will actually help them to be more efficient allowing them to negotiate for more training and better equipment.

If Prop 2 is passed, the only effect it will have is to allow those who serve the people to collectively bargain. Any contract currently in place will be honored until it expires. Prop 2 will only roll back the insidious corporate sponsored laws passed over the past two years. The fact is Michigan needs this amendment; we need the ability to stand united to build a stronger middle class.

Vote yes on Prop 2 and invest in the future prosperity of Michigan.