The Michigan Education Association is incorrect when it says a school district could fire unmarried, pregnant teachers, gay teachers, unpopular employees or veteran teachers for less expensive alternatives under proposed tenure reform bills, according to a GOP legislator and a Republican labor attorney.

The MEA made its claims about House Bills 4625, 4627 and 4628 on its website. The bills were considered by a Legislative committee shortly after a teacher in the Swartz Creek school district was ordered by the state to be reinstated despite claims by the district she was “mentally unfit” and “unstable.”

The Flint Journal reports that the legal saga over her fitness to work began after workplace altercations led to a psychological evaluation. This resulted in a recommendation that she not return to the classroom pending treatment, followed by her agreement to a voluntary leave of absence. The leave later became involuntary when the teacher and district disagreed over whether the alleged psychological concerns had been resolved.

State Rep. Paul Scott, R-Grand Blanc, wrote in an email that the MEA has “delved into bigoted wedge politics based on total fabrications. The public is with us. This package signifies a culture change where student growth and performance trump special interests.”

Scott’s office pointed to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act as protection from being discriminated against because of pregnancy or childbirth or related issues. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Also, Scott’s office stated that Michigan is one of four states that have laws prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in public workplaces.

Tom Fredericks, a labor attorney who served for 10 years with the Office of the State Employer for the State of Michigan, said employer’s actions are governed by state and federal law. Fredericks, vice chair of the Ingham County Republican Party, called the MEA’s claims “unsupported” and “untrue.”

"... teachers, and other employees — both union and non-union — are already protected under Michigan and federal law from unlawful discrimination,” Fredericks wrote in an email.

Nathalie Iden, a spokeswoman for Scott, said in an email the bills state that teachers can’t be let go for political reasons or reasons that are “arbitrary and capricious.” She said “arbitrary and capricious” is the current standard for administrators.

MEA Spokesman Doug Pratt declined to comment.

A public school superintendent asked Gov. Rick Snyder to “make my school a prison” as he complained about proposed budget cuts in a letter to the editor he recently submitted to local papers.

In the May 11 letter, Ithaca Public Schools Superintendent Nathan Bootz wrote, “Consider the life of a Michigan prisoner. They get three square meals a day. Access to free health care. Internet. Cable television. Access to a library. A weight room. Computer lab. They can earn a degree. A roof over their heads. Clothing. Everything we just listed we DO NOT provide to our school children.”

The district confirmed this week that the two elementary schools and the high school each have their own media center and library. The high school also has a weight room. And in August of 2010, voters approved a $3.4 million bond for roof replacement and for technology equipment.

Bootz didn’t respond to emails seeking comment.

State Rep. Tom McMillin called the letter “inflammatory rhetoric.”

“The guy just can’t be serious,” McMillin said. “It shows they don’t want to live in reality and make a few tough decisions.”

The state of Michigan spends about $2 billion to house about 45,400 prisoners. The state spent about $12 billion to educate about 1.5 million students.

But students are educated 180 days a year for 7.5 hours a day. Prisoners are housed 24/7.

Students cost roughly $6.46 per hour to educate. Prisoners cost $5.92 per hour to house. Michigan schools also receive federal funding that isn’t included in this hourly rate analysis.

“I’m willing to give Mr. Bootz the benefit of the doubt that he doesn’t seriously mean to turn schools into prisons,” said Paul Kersey, the director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, in an email. “But when he says that ‘Schools are the one place on Earth that people look to to “fix” what is wrong with society,’ he is revealing an incredibly self-centered outlook that permeates the public school system. Important as education might be, public schools are not the only things that matter. We have police and prisons to apprehend and isolate criminals. We have fire and EMS units to respond to emergencies. These are every bit as important as public schools. Mr. Bootz needs to realize that there are people outside of the school system and even outside of government who do valuable work, and who need resources to do their jobs.”