HAPPENING NOW: Michiganders protest outside Rep. Walberg's office as Trump signs order to end DOE

NILES, Mich. -- A crowd of educators and education supports gathered outside the offices of Republican Congressman Tim Walberg in Niles on Thursday afternoon to protest the undoing of the United States Department of Education. 

This week, 85 school board members from 36 districts, including five Michigan State Board of Education members, signed a joint letter calling on state and federal policymakers to take bold action to defend public education, fully fund Michigan’s public schools, and condemn the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, which President Donald Trump dismantled with an Executive Order Thursday evening. 

The letter, coordinated by the Michigan Education Justice Coalition (MEJC), underscores what the group calls an urgent need to address persistent funding gaps that affect all Michigan students but especially impact students of color, students with disabilities, and students from low-income communities.

During the protest, a copy of the letter was hand-delivered to Rep. Walberg, who is the Chair of the Education and Workforce Committee.

“As the Chair, Tim Walberg has the power to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education," said Jim Pederson, in advocation of his granddaughter who has special needs. 

"We are here to ask him to do what is right for the children of Michigan and of America. Public schools should serve students, not political careers. Taking away school funding and civil rights of children is not what his constituents voted for."

Tune in at 5 and 6 p.m. tonight for the full story.