EASTPOINTE (WWJ) – Many kids all across Michigan began heading back to school on Monday, and the students and staff at Forest Park Elementary School got a special visit from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Whitmer toured the school, spoke with parents and students, hugged bus drivers, gave announcements over the intercom before the end of the day – and even curried some extra approval with teachers, bringing in boxes of donuts.
Speaking with reporters after her visit, Whitmer said she's happy with the latest education budget, which her administration has touted as the biggest investment in children the state has ever seen.
That includes funding for free lunch and breakfast for all 1.4 million Michigan students.
"This is not just going to help address food insecurity, but also make sure that we destigmatize free lunch or breakfast at school," Whitmer said.
She says the program will save Michigan families $850 a year per student.
The investment in schools also includes funding for tutoring and after-school programs.
"These are long overdue investments that we are now making in earnest in a robust way and while the pandemic was certainly a massive setback, we knew pre-pandemic that we had to do more," she said.
