Today Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI), member of the House Education and Labor Committee and member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, released the following statement after accepting the 2021 Champion for Public Education Award from the K-12 Alliance of Michigan during its Advocacy Week. The board voted unanimously to nominate Rep. Levin for the award.
"My first thought on accepting this award? I miss my mom. She would be so proud," said Rep. Levin. "She was such a champion for public education and for addressing children's mental health issues. The pandemic has shown more clearly than ever the need for students to have a healthy, safe space to learn and for teachers to be valued as the essential public servants they are. Throughout this year I have worked to continue my mother's legacy and offer solutions to the long-existing inequality in our education system. We need to meet these challenges head on with investments in our schools like those proposed by President Biden in the American Families Plan.
"The K-12 Alliance is an indispensable leader and advocate for expanding access to quality education and opportunities to succeed in and outside of the classroom to every child in Michigan," Rep. Levin continued. "I'm really moved by this honor and inspired to do even more work in the years ahead: to continue our progress and fight for full Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding, to deal with learning loss and testing requirements and so much more. Onward and upward!"
"Every year we give out a Champion for Students Award to an elected official that has gone above and beyond to work with us on behalf of Michigan students. There was very little discussion needed on who provided the support our students, administrators and educators needed through the pandemic: that was Congressman Andy Levin," said Robert McCann, Executive Director, K-12 Alliance of Michigan. "The Congressman and his staff have been wonderful to work with over the last year, organizing frequent meetings with superintendents and advocating tirelessly for Michigan schools in Washington. Our members very much appreciate his dedicated leadership and look forward to our continued partnership."
Source:https://andylevin.house.gov/media/press-releases/levin-accepts-k-12-alliance-michigans-2021-champion-public-education-award
