DEFEATED WARRIORS
Michigan State Board of Education member Tom McMillin, who hails from Oakland Township, stayed true to form at a recent May board meeting when a resolution in support of protecting all students, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, was up for a vote. One of two Republicans on the eight-member board, along with Nikki Snyder from Dexter, McMillin long ago established his bona fides as a far-far right conservative, especially when it comes to opposing policies or laws that address issues affecting the gay community. He was first elected to an eight-year term in 2016 just after the state board of ed months earlier adopted guidelines assuring that the needs of all students, i.e. LGBTQ+ pupils, which he opposed then. As background, McMillin was considered one of the most ultra-conservative members of the state House where he served earlier. He made his bones years before with anti-tax groups, shifting his attention then to culture war issues. So the board’s two Republicans teamed up for a series of attempts (at least five) to amend the resolution before it was adopted in May. McMillin framed his opposition as pushing back against the “cultural agenda that the left is pushing hard.” The attempts at amending the resolution by the pearl-clutching GOP pair all failed. The terms of both McMillin and Snyder expire January 1 of 2025. When they first ran, many say they rode in on the coattails of Donald Trump so we will see if the same holds true if they decide to run again next year and the former prez is on the ticket in November.