Grassroots rally to support public schools gathers statewide, nationwide attention

About a month or so ago the folks at Save Michigan's Public Schools posted a question on their Facebook page asking if anyone would go to a rally if they organized one.  A few folks said "yes."  Then dozens.  Then hundreds.  We blogged about the rally, Save Michigan's Public Schools Rally, Okemos Parents for Schools, June 3, 2013, then emailed about it recently.

Like Okemos Parents for Schools, Save Michigan's Public Schools is just folks who care about public schools.  They aren't backed by a teachers' union or school districts.  You can hear an interview with Rochelle Noel and Betsy Coffia, two of the folks behind Save Michigan's Public Schools here:

• Click to hear the interview (Eclectablog).

Initially, the political insider news service MIRS was a bit befuddled by the prospect of actual people and not special interests organizing a rally.  They caught wind of the rally and immediately reported it was organized by the MEA.  They then ran a correction that MEA folks were helping organize the rally.  They then ran another correction still saying MEA folks were helping with the rally.  MIRS never actually contacted Save Michigan's Public Schools. Education supporters plan huge grassroots rally at Mich Capitol June 19th, teacher unions & media confused, Eclectablog, June 11, 2013.

The rally has been picked up by national public school advocate Diane Ravitch.  Save Michigan Public Schools Rally on June 19, Diane Ravitch's Blog, June 12, 2013.

You can see the Facebook page for the event below.  As of this post, there are 477 folks going.

• Click for the rally Facebook page.