LASD Board Meeting September 2025: Adults Behaving Badly

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At least 100 people showed up at the Petersen Auditorium for the September 15, 2025 meeting of the Ludington Area School District (LASD) Board, but if you looked at the agenda packet, you may wonder why as there was only one routine agenda item, to authorize paying out $85,000 for 2019 bond project work (which they did) before the board would go into closed session.  The end?

But the reason for the closed session may have given you a clue to the large audience, especially if you've been paying attention to the contract talks between the local teacher's union (LEA) still being at an impasse a couple of weeks into the school year.  The board was scheduled to talk about collective bargaining strategy with that union in private, and would vote 6-0 to do so, with Trustee Steve Carlsen absent.

At the start of this meeting, the assemblage would first hear from the LHS mayor, Taylor Anderson, telling us encouraging words about the football and boy's tennis teams and preparations for homecoming.  A video presentation on Number Corner, a new way to introduce math into the elementary curriculum was shown.  At that point the administrators had their own presentation.

In our recap from the LASD Board meeting in August, we saw the board had offered a 2.5% increase on unionized staff wages over each of the next three years.  This wasn't met favorably by the LEA as witnessed by this reporter at that meeting with 16 LEA members and sympathizers making their case as to why this wasn't enough.  

The administrators, represented by Superintendent Kyle Corlett, replayed that meeting by pointing out that future school funding was still an unknown element, and it still is.   The delay in finalizing the budget before October 1st is significantly impacting schools, forcing districts to consider cuts without knowing their state funding.  Nevertheless, the administrators caved, raising their offer above 3% for the next school year, with opportunities to gain a major one-time stipend if district revenues top $32 million, which would trigger over $2 million more towards salaries.

Corlett was correct in that districts are counseled to have 15-20% of their annual revenues in reserve, and that the LASD has always fell short but has got better the last two years after never being in the double digits in recent history.  

As a citizen, seeing administrators buckle under union pressure when financing is uncertain and reserve fund targets are not met is disappointing, but to the teacher's union it is disappointingly not enough for them.  Eighteen people would come to the microphone to speak during the comment period, and not one would be satisfied with what was offered to the union.  

Some would disagree with Corlett's data, some would disagree with his comparisons to all other school districts in Mason and surrounding counties that have less compensation, some would offer district wage stats further away that were north of LASD on wages, Whitehall was popular in that regard.

Once again, I wasn't impressed by the fifteen presentations made that were primarily aimed to the union audience not to the realities of the current state of public-school financing, most of them were unnecessarily contentious with Corlett and his character, leading him to defend himself for operating honorably and in good faith.

If the state does come to value our roads over public education, there would be a good reason why.  Michigan spends the most money on public education among all 48 continental states.  In reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic test scores, at both the 4th and 8th grade levels in the NAEP, Michigan finishes well into the lower half of the states for all.  Frugal Idaho spends nearly $5000 less per K-12 student and beats Michigan in all categories.  The excessive amounts of taxpayer money we're dumping into education is not getting results, so why wouldn't lawmakers focus more on our neglected state roads?  

Nevertheless, whatever amount the state comes up with, it will be a fixed amount likely to be disappointing to Michigan public school districts this year.  The administrators continuing to raise the pay rates are irresponsible being that any raise will tap into the reserve funds and/or budgeted items deemed needed (projects, programs, infrastructure, etc.).  Either way, administrators would be lowering the health of the district in one way or another to appease a union not content with a raise greater than 3% in this coming year.

One might consider that insistence on more as greed, given the circumstances and the dominance of the LASD pay scale over all other public schools in Mason County and its surrounding counties, but this reporter listened intently to the 15 that spoke of the year's collective bargaining efforts.   I heard plenty of talk (fairly and unfairly) about how teachers were being disrespected, how they were grossly underpaid, how the other side had bad actors leading it; however, what I didn't hear one peep about was the potential loss of athletic/educational programs, delay of needed infrastructure projects, or the district dramatically falling short of reserve funds-- when the need for those reserves may be triggered if the state doesn't figure things out.

What happens when the LASD has all of these raises contracted in and it potentially leads to budget deficits that the district can only avert by firing teachers or offering less programs for your children?  LASD teachers, your administrator respects you enough to offer you a premium raise while state officials have an unresolved educational battle in progress, your administrators transparently show you all of the numbers involved, and you still whine for more and more money for a job you work no more than 180 days every year.  This repetitive bawling for more acclaim and more money without concern for the welfare of the kids, their parents, other taxpayers, the district and the administrators is just getting old.  Grow up before I throw up and I say this as someone who was in the educational field for about two decades.

One comment stood above the rest.  Whitney Brooke McCabe made a different attack on the integrity of the superintendent, stressing Corlett's inability to recognize due process (admittedly, Dr. Corlett's biggest weakness, we have caught him erring in that field for a substitute, a mother, a student, a parent, a now-former coach, and even selling real estate.)  Whitney is fighting for the rights of her disabled child and Corlett allegedly has refused mediation and is making her go through a legal process.  

Presuming she has a valid grievance against the district for what they did to her child, and I'm prone to believe that she does, mostly because of her persistence and lack of any good response at these meetings by school officials, why doesn't any of the dozens and dozens of teachers in attendance ever speak up for her (or against what Corlett has reportedly did to her in order to set up roadblocks) rather than just for their own avaricious desires?  Why don't we ever hear from teachers during public comment at these board meetings except during the season of collective bargaining, when everything is all about them and the obstinance of the LASD to pay them what they think they are worth? 

Good questions without a good answer.  And rather than be lynched for expressing my honest opinion of the public service union's demands and/or the administrator's capitulations to them, I passed on the opportunity to comment at the meeting.  I would have probably talked about wondering why the LASD did not have a chapter of "Turning Point USA" and whether the staff and administrators would have an issue with it if one sprang up after the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk just five days before. 

The student mayor (who had left after saying her piece) had been the only student I saw at the meeting.  Who knew that students wouldn't waste such a nice late-summer day watching their teachers act like little babies looking for more worship and lucre?  Was it no wonder that there was no mention even by inference of the most impactful political assassination in decades caught live on video that likely traumatized several area young people who looked up to Charlie Kirk in the district?

Consider, the smaller Hart School District has a chapter, and with around a thousand people showing up (about a third of them young people) for an impromptu vigil for Charlie Kirk at the courthouse this Wednesday, one would think that the area's school district is primed for a chapter.  One hopes that some like-minded students at LHS or even MCC HS or MCE HS or WSCC can get together and start one up on their own just like they did in Oceana County's largest school district.  Here's a push to their "starting a chapter" application; if you think truth, justice, faith, limited government, free markets, and freedom are important to preserve for yourself and your posterity, start or join one.

[Sidney Johnson]

How can one help to organize an effort to start TPUSA.

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This TPUSA Chapter Handbook is a must read for those wanting to start one either as a school or college student.  If you are not in an educational institution and beyond the usual college age, you should still be able to help make these successful as a contributor, honorary member, marketer, or mentor.  Here's a summary I found on the interwebs:

How to start a turning point chapter:

Starting a Turning Point USA chapter typically involves a few key steps to get your group officially recognized and running. While the specific process may vary slightly from school to school, here's a general guide based on information provided by Turning Point USA and its chapters:

1. Familiarize Yourself with Turning Point USA's Mission:

• Turning Point USA is a conservative youth organization that focuses on promoting free markets, limited government, and other conservative values.

• They provide resources, support, and guidance to student-led chapters on high school and college campuses.

2. Learn Your School's RSO (Registered Student Organization) Process:

• This is the most crucial step. Every school has its own unique procedure for approving new student clubs.

• Contact your school's Student Life, Student Activities, or similar department. They can provide you with the necessary forms, handbooks, and information on their specific requirements.

• Be prepared for things like:

• Submitting an application or proposal.

• Finding a faculty advisor.

• Drafting a club constitution and bylaws. Turning Point USA often provides a sample constitution that you can adapt to your school's requirements.

• Having a certain number of founding members.

3. Gather a Founding Team:

• You will need to assemble a group of like-minded students to serve as officers (e.g., President, Vice President, Treasurer) and a core group of members.

• This team will be essential for planning events, managing the chapter, and fulfilling your school's requirements.

4. Register with Turning Point USA:

• In addition to getting recognized by your school, you will need to officially register your chapter with Turning Point USA.

• This typically involves filling out a Chapter Charter Agreement on their website.

• Registering with TPUSA provides your chapter with access to their resources, including:

• Activism kits with materials for events.

• Custom chapter logos and event graphics.

• Opportunities for grants and other funding for events.

• Support from a field representative who can help you navigate the process and plan activities.

5. Start Planning Your Chapter's Activities:

• Once you are officially recognized by both your school and TPUSA, you can begin to host events.

• TPUSA chapters often engage in activities like:

• Tabling and recruitment drives.

• Bringing conservative speakers to campus.

• Hosting discussions and debates.

• Organizing voter registration drives and other grassroots activism.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, it's always best to directly consult the official Turning Point USA website and your school's student activities office.