Why I Am Running for the Michigan State Board of Education

By Wissam Charafeddine
charafeddine2026.com

I have decided to run for the Michigan State Board of Education because I believe public education is one of the most important moral, economic, cultural, and democratic responsibilities we share.

Education is not just about test scores. It is about whether a child in Dearborn, Detroit, Hamtramck, Livonia, Grand Rapids, Flint, or the Upper Peninsula has a real chance to live with dignity in the future that is already arriving. It is about whether teachers are respected as professionals. It is about whether parents are treated as partners. It is about whether our schools prepare students for technology, democracy, work, family, citizenship, and life.

Michigan needs schools that innovate, include, and empower.

That is the heart of my campaign.

I am running with Green values: equity, sustainability, peace, democracy, local empowerment, public accountability, and human dignity. For me, Green politics is not a slogan. It is a way of asking a simple question: are our systems serving people, communities, and the future, or are they serving bureaucracy, corporations, and short-term politics?

Public education should serve children, families, teachers, and communities. Period.

My Vision for Michigan Education

My top priority is to make Michigan public education future-ready without leaving any child, teacher, or family behind.

Michigan adopted K–12 Computer Science Standards in 2019, becoming the 31st state to do so. That was progress, but implementation was left voluntary and uneven. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Public Act 206 of 2024 on January 17, 2025, requiring every Michigan high school to offer computer science by the 2027–28 school year. That is another step forward.

But offering a course is not the same as guaranteeing access, quality, trained teachers, or real opportunity.

As of 2022–23, 401 of Michigan’s 1,265 high schools reported no students in any computer science-related course. That is not acceptable in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, robotics, and digital systems. Too many students, especially in working-class, rural, Black, immigrant, and under-resourced communities, are still being prepared for yesterday’s economy while the world is moving at the speed of AI.

My commitments are clear.

First, I will push for a district-by-district computer science implementation transparency report so parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers can see where computer science is actually being taught and where it is only being promised.

Second, I will advocate for a serious computer science teacher pipeline plan so districts can meet the 2027–28 mandate with qualified educators, not just check a box on paper.

Third, I will work for STEAM integration across all subjects, not just math and science. Technology, art, language, civics, history, and career education must work together. A student should not have to choose between being creative and being technically skilled. The future belongs to those who can think across disciplines.

Technology should not be a luxury program for a few students. It should be a basic part of public education.

Teacher-Led Standards for Ed-Tech Procurement

Michigan has had technology vision documents before. The “MI Roadmap: Transforming Education Through Technology” was presented to the State Board of Education in March 2017. It offered a vision, but not strong procurement standards or teacher input requirements.

Michigan also has the Student Online Personal Protection Act, Public Act 368 of 2016, which governs student data privacy with ed-tech vendors. That matters. Student data must be protected. But privacy alone is not enough.

We also need to ask: does the technology work? Does it help teachers? Does it improve learning? Is it accessible? Is it worth the money? Does it create more work for educators or less? Is it chosen because students need it, or because a vendor gave a good sales pitch?

My commitments on ed-tech are direct.

First, I support mandatory Michigan Ed-Tech Quality Standards before districts purchase major educational technology.

Second, I support required teacher review panels in procurement. Teachers should not be the last people consulted about tools they are expected to use every day.

Third, I support an annual public Ed-Tech Transparency Report so taxpayers can see what is being purchased, why, how much it costs, and whether it is working.

This is where my Green values and my professional background meet. I believe in innovation, but not blind consumption. I believe in technology, but not corporate capture. Public schools should not be an experimental sales floor for vendors. If a tool helps students and teachers, prove it. If not, Michigan should stop wasting money on digital glitter.

Fully Funding Culturally Competent Family Engagement

One of the most important and most neglected parts of education is family engagement.

The Michigan Department of Education released MiFamily: Michigan’s Family Engagement Framework, aligned to the Top 10 in 10 Strategic Plan. It is a strong document, but it is voluntary and unfunded. That is the problem. We keep producing frameworks and then starving them.

Federal law, including Lau v. Nichols and the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires schools to provide meaningful language access so families can participate in their children’s education. But many Michigan families still face barriers because of language, culture, immigration status, poverty, work schedules, or mistrust of institutions.

This is personal for communities like Dearborn. We know what it means when schools fail to communicate clearly with immigrant families. We know what it means when parents care deeply about their children but cannot understand the forms, meetings, discipline notices, special education process, or college pathways. We also know the strength of families when schools actually welcome them.

My commitments are clear.

First, I support a funded Culturally Competent Family Engagement Pilot in high-density immigrant districts.

Second, I support a mandatory Language Access Standard for family communications.

Third, I support dedicated state funding for family engagement coordinators tied to measurable outcomes.

Family engagement should not be charity. It should not be a side project. It should be part of how schools operate.

What Schools Should Prioritize

When asked to rank the priorities of K–12 public schools, I believe the core academic and civic foundations must come first.

My priority order is: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Civics, American History, Information Technology, Vocational Learning, Personal Finances, Art and Music, Physical Fitness, Foreign Language, Social Emotional Learning, Sexuality, and Gender Identity.

I would omit Political Activism and Critical Race Theory as listed.

That does not mean schools should avoid difficult history. They should teach students how to think critically about history, government, rights, race, power, and civic responsibility. But classrooms should not become partisan training centers or ideological battlefields.

Students need knowledge, skills, discipline, creativity, and moral seriousness. They need to learn how to read deeply, write clearly, calculate accurately, understand science, participate in democracy, manage money, work with technology, appreciate beauty, stay healthy, and respect people who are different from them.

That is not left or right. That is education doing its job.

Equality of Opportunity and Equitable Support

Students should have equality of opportunity, with equitable support to make that opportunity real.

I do not believe schools should promise identical outcomes for every student, because students have different talents, choices, interests, and paths. But I also reject the idea that opportunity exists just because we say it does.

A child without internet, language access, safe transportation, qualified teachers, stable housing, special education support, or family engagement does not truly have the same opportunity.

So the goal should be equal opportunity strengthened by equity in resources, access, and support — not forced sameness of outcomes.

Parents, Schools, and Trust

I believe government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child’s health and educational well-being.

Parents have the primary right and responsibility to guide their child’s health and education. Schools should respect parents, communicate clearly, and treat families as partners, not obstacles.

At the same time, public schools must also follow the law, protect student safety, and provide every child with a quality education. The best model is not government replacing parents, and it is not parents being ignored. The best model is schools, teachers, and families working together with transparency and trust.

That means no surprises, no secrecy, no culture-war games, and no treating teachers like enemies. Parents matter. Teachers matter. Students matter. We have to stop building politics on suspicion and start rebuilding schools on trust.

Faith, Religious Liberty, and Public Schools

My spiritual beliefs are rooted in faith, humility, service, and the dignity of every human being. I believe we are judged not only by what we say we believe, but by how we treat the vulnerable, the poor, the stranger, the child, and those who disagree with us.

My values are compassion, justice, honesty, family, peace, and responsibility. In public service, that means leading with conscience without using government to impose religion on others.

Students should be able to speak freely and civilly about matters of conscience, faith, and moral conviction, including Christianity. Public schools should not silence sincere religious expression simply because it is religious. At the same time, schools must not use government authority to promote one faith over another.

The standard should be simple: protect free speech, require civility, and respect students of every religion and no religion.

For that reason, I do not support displaying the Ten Commandments as a government-endorsed religious statement in public schools or courthouses. I respect their moral and historical importance to many people, but public institutions must serve citizens of all faiths and no faith equally. Schools may teach about religion, ethics, and history in an educational context. They should not promote one religious tradition through government authority.

Marriage, Family, and Equal Rights

I respect that many faith traditions define marriage as sacred between one man and one woman, and religious communities must be free to hold that belief. But civil marriage is a legal institution. Government should protect equal rights for all families and not impose one religious definition on everyone.

No faith group should be forced to perform a marriage, and no family should be denied legal protection.

That is the balance I believe in: religious liberty and equal civil rights.

Crisis Pregnancy and Student Support

A school’s role in an unwanted or crisis pregnancy is not to shame, judge, or make a medical decision for a student. Its role is to protect the student’s safety, dignity, privacy, and education.

In a crisis pregnancy, the school should connect the student with a trained counselor, accurate health information, legal resources, and family support when safe and appropriate. It must also follow mandatory reporting laws if abuse, coercion, or exploitation is involved.

No student should be pushed out of school, humiliated, or left alone because of pregnancy. My focus would be compassionate support, clear policy, and making sure the student can continue learning while receiving the help she needs.

On the broader question of human life, I believe human life is sacred, and I believe we should build a society that protects life in every meaningful way: healthy pregnancies, safe mothers, wanted children, strong public schools, clean air and water, affordable health care, and families who are not abandoned after birth.

But I do not support turning the phrase “from conception until natural death” into a blanket legal standard that allows government to control deeply personal medical decisions. Biologically, a new human organism begins developing at fertilization. But the legal and moral question is not that simple. The state should not impose one absolute definition of personhood from conception on every family, every doctor, and every woman.

As a candidate for the State Board of Education, my focus is protecting children and families in real life: excellent public schools, family engagement, mental health, safe communities, and a future where every child is wanted, supported, educated, and given a fair chance to thrive.

Sex Education and Student Safety

I support age-appropriate, medically accurate sex education with parental transparency and the ability for families to review curriculum.

Topics should include abstinence, consent, contraceptive methods, human anatomy and the reproductive system, physical and emotional health outcomes, stages of pregnancy and fetal development, STI prevention, healthy relationships, digital safety, and protection from coercion or abuse.

For older students, sexual orientation and gender identity may be addressed respectfully and factually, without ideology or pressure. Pregnancy options, including abortion-related health information and side effects, should be handled carefully, legally, and non-directively.

I would not support explicit instruction on sex acts or “pleasures of sex” in K–12 schools. The focus should be health, safety, responsibility, dignity, and respect.

Children absolutely have the right to be protected from sexual exploitation, grooming, and age-inappropriate explicit material. Schools and libraries should have clear, transparent standards for what is educational, age-appropriate, and professionally reviewed.

But I would not use the word “grooming” as a political weapon against every discussion of gender, sexuality, or LGBTQ people. That is unfair and dangerous. The real standard should be child safety, parental transparency, educator professionalism, and age-appropriate education.

Protect children from exploitation. Do not turn schools into culture-war battlefields.

Gender Identity, Sports, and Private Spaces

Women and girls deserve fair competition, privacy, and safety in sports and sex-specific spaces. I support policies that protect female athletic opportunity and safeguard private spaces like locker rooms, shelters, and prisons.

At the same time, every person must be treated with dignity. The goal should be clear rules based on fairness, safety, privacy, and reasonable accommodations — not cruelty or political theater.

This is the kind of issue where slogans fail everyone. Serious policy requires seriousness, not screaming.

Education Funding and Livable Income

I support strong public funding for education from Pre-K through college because education is the foundation of opportunity, democracy, and economic growth.

But I do not believe taxes should be the only answer to every public need. We should also pursue creative funding: public-private partnerships, grants, endowments, workforce partnerships, green bonds, and smarter use of existing dollars.

Fund education fully — and fund it intelligently.

On the question of livable income, I believe government has a responsibility to help build an economy where every working person can live with dignity. That does not mean replacing personal responsibility or local enterprise. It means fair wages, strong public schools, affordable housing, health care access, childcare, and pathways to good jobs.

No full-time worker should live in poverty while doing everything society asks of them.

The U.S. Department of Education and Local Control

I support more local control, parent voice, teacher leadership, and community-based decision-making. But eliminating the U.S. Department of Education would be a mistake.

Federal education policy should protect civil rights, students with disabilities, low-income districts, English learners, and basic educational equity across states.

The answer is not to centralize everything in Washington, but also not to abandon national responsibility. We need reform, transparency, and less bureaucracy — not demolition.

Voting, Democracy, and Public Responsibility

I believe people should be able to vote without photo identification, with safeguards.

Voting is a constitutional right, not a privilege reserved for people who have the easiest access to documents. I support secure elections, voter registration verification, and penalties for fraud, but I oppose photo ID rules that disenfranchise seniors, students, low-income voters, people with disabilities, or citizens who do not drive.

Election security matters, but access to democracy matters too.

Public education and democracy are connected. If we want young people to trust democracy, we must practice it honestly.

Guns and Public Safety

I respect the constitutional rights of lawful gun owners, but public safety requires common-sense limits.

I support universal background checks, safe storage laws, mandatory training for concealed carry, strong penalties for illegal gun trafficking, and keeping firearms away from violent felons, domestic abusers, and people found by a court to be a serious danger to themselves or others.

Schools should be safe places to learn, not armed political experiments.

Foreign Policy, Peace, and Human Rights

My values do not stop at the border. I believe peace is built through justice, human rights, diplomacy, and respect for international law.

I support nonviolent economic and political pressure, including boycott, divestment, and sanctions, when a government denies Palestinian self-determination and equal rights. Supporting Palestinian freedom is not hatred of Jewish people, and antisemitism must be rejected clearly. My position is rooted in human rights, international law, and equal dignity for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

On the question of military strength, I believe a capable defense may deter aggression, but lasting peace comes from diplomacy, human rights, fair trade, education, climate stability, and reducing the conditions that lead to war.

Military power without wisdom can create more conflict, not less. I believe in defending people when necessary, but the best way to maintain peace is to invest in justice, cooperation, and human security before violence becomes the only tool left.

How I Describe Myself Politically

I would describe myself as a pragmatic progressive rooted in Green values.

I believe in strong public education, economic dignity, peace, environmental responsibility, civil liberties, religious freedom, and equal rights under the law. I am not interested in left-versus-right slogans. I believe government should protect people, empower families and communities, and stay humble enough not to control every part of life.

That is where I stand.

I am progressive because I believe the future must be better than the past.

I am pragmatic because slogans do not educate children, balance budgets, train teachers, or help families communicate with schools.

I am Green because I believe every policy should ask whether it protects life, community, democracy, and the future.

Why This Campaign Matters

The Michigan State Board of Education should not be a symbolic office. It should be a place where serious people ask serious questions.

Are our schools ready for artificial intelligence and computer science?

Are our teachers being respected before technology is purchased?

Are immigrant families receiving meaningful language access?

Are students learning civics instead of partisan anger?

Are parents treated as partners?

Are children safe?

Are public dollars being spent wisely?

Are rural, urban, suburban, immigrant, working-class, and under-resourced communities all being served?

These are not abstract questions. They are daily realities for Michigan families.

I am running because I believe Michigan needs a new kind of education leadership: principled but practical, rooted in community, serious about technology, respectful of teachers, welcoming to families, and brave enough to say the truth without turning every issue into a political circus.

Public education should not be captured by corporations, abandoned by government, or weaponized by extremists. It should be renewed.

That is why I am asking for your support.

I am Wissam Charafeddine, and I am running for the Michigan State Board of Education.

Join the campaign, learn more, and get involved at:

wissamc.com

Innovate. Include. Empower.