Michigan
Michigan Democratic lawmakers decry proposed Department of Education changes
Democrats blocked from entering Dept. of Education, says congressman
Congressman Maxwell Frost shared videos on X of him, and other elected officials, being blocked from entering the Department of Education building.
- Democratic lawmakers in Michigan are criticizing the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Education, including potential funding cuts.
- They argue that these changes could harm vulnerable students, particularly those with disabilities, who rely on federal funding for support services.
A group of Democratic state lawmakers, joining a chorus of education advocates, decried the Trump administration’s whirlwind sweep of the U.S. Department of Education in a news conference Friday.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak; state Rep. Kelly Breen, D-Novi, and state Rep. Matt Koleszar, D-Plymouth, said they were raising the alarm about federal education funding at stake in Michigan during the news conference at a union hall in Southfield.
The Democrats were reacting to a slew of changes and the Trump administration’s proposed elimination of the federal Education Department. In recent days, the department under Trump has moved to slash nearly $1 billion in research contracts, a court has temporarily barred the department from allowing Elon Musk’s government efficiency team from accessing sensitive student data and civil rights investigations have stalled. The state lawmakers also criticized Trump’s pick to lead the Education Department, Linda McMahon, the subject of U.S. Senate confirmation hearings this week.
“What we heard confirmed our worst fears,” McMorrow said. “McMahon is grossly unqualified and fundamentally out of touch with the needs of students.”
Only Congress can eliminate the department with a supermajority of votes, so advocates are skeptical that will happen. Instead, critics say they are fearful that the institution will be weakened, particularly in areas such as education research and support for students with disabilities. McMorrow said she hopes that an outcry from constituents will put pressure on the administration to minimize the impact.
“If your child is in a special needs program, if your child has an IEP, if you want that program protected, call your local official, your state official, and your federal official because at the end of the day, they work for us,” she said.
McMorrow and Koleszar, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, said they were particularly concerned about the major funding streams that support students with disabilities and other vulnerable children.
“These are our most vulnerable kids,” Koleszar said. “What happens to those kids? This is something that could legitimately harm the kids who need support the most.”
Breen said the most recent move to axe federal research grants will hurt local schools by clouding efforts to understand whether children are effectively learning.
“We are not talking about a hypothetical worst case scenario here,” she said. “The damage has already started. … It has taken a meat cleaver to the entire educational system when they should be using a scalpel.”
The lawmakers said they felt Trump’s administration has misled constituents into thinking federal officials help set school curricula, which actually falls on local school boards in Michigan.
Federal funding accounts for about 10% of the money, about $2.3 billion, that goes to state public education. The largest chunk of that federal money is Title 1 funding, meant to boost schools that serve the highest proportions of disadvantaged students, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.
The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act is federal law. Funding for it, and the law itself, would not be eliminated through an executive action eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, according to the School Superintendents Association. Michigan schools received about $460 million in federal funding for special education in 2024, about 15% of the funding for special education services, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.
While the lawmakers outlined what’s at stake, they said minimizing funding cuts at the state levels would be difficult, with $2.5 billion in the state’s rainy day fund.
“If some of what Trump is calling for were to go through that would be wiped out immediately and would only cover us for one year,” McMorrow said.
Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.
Michigan State football earned the walk-on commitment from Jack Lansing, a 3-star linebacker from Hartland (MI) earlier this month. Now, the in-state product has scheduled his official visit to Michigan State.
Lansing, a 6’0″ and 200 pound linebacker that plays at Hartland High School, is a highly valued walk-on commitment, ranking very high for a walk-on as an 84 rated 3-star according to 247Sports. While he may begin as a preferred walk-on, the opportunity to begin his career on scholarship or gain a scholarship while on campus is still very much a possibility.
The Spartans value in-state recruiting, and adding a prospect like Lansing shows their importance on making sure no prospect falls through the cracks on their watch.
Lansing’s trip to East Lansing will be starting on June 20.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner
The Michigan Wolverines got their quarterback in the 2025 cycle when they flipped Bryce Underwood from LSU. They recently secured their top quarterback target in the 2026 class with top 100 signal caller Brady Smigiel committing to the maize and blue. Looking forward to the 2027 class, Michigan has placed themselves in the driver’s seat for the top-rated quarterback in that class as well.
Kavian Bryant is the No. 42 ranked overall recruit in the ’27 class but is the No. 1 overall rated quarterback in the class.As the top QB in the class, Bryant will likely continue to rise in the recruiting rankings in the coming months.
For Michigan, Bryant is the top quarterback on the board and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey recently went to visit the star QB to continue building their relationship. Bryant had this to say about Michigan after a recent visit.
“Michigan has a lot of good qualities, the education, the facilities, The Big House. It was an eye opener.”
– 2027 top ranked QB Kavian Bryant
Education is clearly important to Bryant; he currently carries a 4.6 GPA in high school. Not many schools can offer the athletic program to match an elite education like the University of Michigan can. Bryant is a solid two sport athlete with D1 offers in basketball as well. He has expressed interest in playing both football and basketball at the next level. Again, not many universities can offer a top tier football and basketball program like Michigan can.
Currently the Wolverines have a 50% prediction for landing Bryant, but there is a ton of recruiting left in this battle. It remains to be seen if Michigan can close the deal and land their third straight elite quarterback.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
More Michigan News:
Social media reacts to Michigan football landing TE Mason Bonner
Michigan football: Bryce Underwood labeled a top-25 QB before taking a college football snap
Michigan football gains prediction to land another offensive weapon following commitment of 4-star TE Matt Ludwig
For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @WingedHelmetMedia
- Follow us on Facebook: @TheWingedHelmet
- Follow us on Twitter: @TWH_chris | @TrentKnoop | @JerredJohnso
A four-star receiver out of Texas, Zion Robinson has moved his official visit up from June 13th to May 30th. Robinson is an elite athlete, coming in at 6-foot-4 and weighing 180-pounds. He’s a tough cover with a great catch radius, the type of long, lanky, and speedy receiver that offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey has been targeting since getting to Ann Arbor.
Robinson is ranked as the 135th overall recruit for 2026 in composite ratings. Some recruiting sites have him slotted as high as 72nd overall. In addition to being an elite football player, Robinson is also a state champion track star. He won the Texas high jump last year with an amazing 6-foot-8 leap. That athleticism will make him a tough cover on the football field and jump balls in the end zone will certainly tip in his favor with that leaping ability.
Robinson made a visit to Michigan for the spring game and was seen talking to fellow Texas receiver Andrew Marsh after the game. Michigan is in the thick of this race and it is a huge plus that Robinson has moved his date up. Right now, there are no crystal balls for Robinson and he’s keeping his recruitment very private. It feels like Michigan could snag this talented young man if they play their cards right and win his team over on May 30th.
– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –
More Michigan News:
Michigan football gains prediction to land another offensive weapon following commitment of 4-star TE Matt Ludwig
ESPN lumps Michigan football, Ohio State, and Notre Dame into same tier for QB play
Social media erupts following Michigan football gaining TE commitment Matt Ludwig
For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel: @WingedHelmetMedia
- Follow us on Facebook: @TheWingedHelmet
- Follow us on Twitter: @TWH_chris | @TrentKnoop | @JerredJohnson
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