Michelle Nellis-Kinney said she believed the Adrian Public School’s AlertNow system was used to contact her in case of a school emergency or scheduling change.

She isn’t happy it was being used by the district’s superintendent to try to get her to help defeat a package of education reform bills.

Superintendent Chris Timmis sent the letter Dec. 2 asking parents to contact their legislators and oppose House Bills 5923 and 6004, and Senate Bill 1358. The bills are being considered by legislators and would, among other things, allow parents to pick what school districts for their children to enroll in if the district allowed outside enrollment. The per-pupil state money would follow the student to whatever district they enrolled.

The district is allowed to do it under state law, but Kinney felt it was still an abuse of power.

"I find this email insulting and a bold misuse of your office and I would hope that in the future, this type of scare tactic will never be sent from your office," Kinney wrote to Timmis in an email. "If you wish for parents to know of upcoming issues then any correspondence needs to be fair and balanced and not the work of one-sided educators with a glaring political agenda."

Timmis said the package of bills have an impact on the community. He said the parents elect a school board that selects a superintendent to do what is in the best interests of the district. He said he felt comfortable urging parents to contact legislators and ask them not to support the bills.

"As a community, that is not a bill that is good for our school district or our kids," Timmis said.

Timmis was far from alone in using his school website and emails to urge parents to oppose the legislation.

Several districts from around the state also have written to parents about the bills.

Michigan Republican Party General Counsel Eric Doster said urging parents to tell legislators to not support the package of bills was not a violation of the state's campaign finance act but Doster said the school district was not proper to use taxpayer resources to promote a political agenda.

The state's campaign finance act law prevents school districts from “expressing advocacy” during an election, such as a school bond or for a political candidate.

"It's wrong,” Doster said. "Why is it wrong? A taxpayer shouldn't have to pay to hear a political viewpoint he or she may not agree with. Government doesn't have a First Amendment right to engage in political campaign speech of lobbying activity. Not everyone who paid for that speech agrees with it.”

Bloomfield Hills Public Schools Superintendent Rob Glass asked parents to oppose a series of public school reform bills in an “urgent call to action” posted on the district’s website.

Glass didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Glass asked parents to "call and e-mail your legislator and respectfully ask them to OPPOSE these bills …" Later, Glass asked parents to "enlist ten others to do the same."

South Lake Schools sent out a form letter for parents to send to legislators urging opposition to the bills. Chelsea School District also wants legislators to vote "no." Other districts have sent out letters with similar language.

LANSING — Right-to-work supporters were straightforward and clear in their message to state lawmakers Tuesday: Right-to-work is an issue that needs to be voted on. 

"We want a vote to be taken,” said Scott Hagerstrom, director of the Michigan Chapter of Americans For Prosperity, which hosted a lobbying rally on the Capitol lawn. "That's our main message. Either vote 'yes' or 'no,' but take a vote."

The "Freedom To Work" event was the first of a number of events scheduled for the upcoming days on right-to-work.

Employees in right-to-work states are not forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. Unions still exist but workers have the freedom to choose if they want to pay dues to be represented by the union.

So far, no right-to-work bills have been introduced in the legislature.

"Everybody seems to be handicapping what will happen here regarding right-to-work," said former Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, now with Michigan Freedom to Work. "I believe that at the moment, some members of the Senate are being a bit coy. But I have to say that I'm optimistic. I actually think it is going to happen. A lot of things have taken place over the past 20 months that have led to where we are now. There's a lot of support out there for right-to-work.

"When The Wall Street Journal contacts someone like little ol' me for a quote, you know something is going on," Hoogendyk said. "I don't think people like those at The Wall Street Journal are coming in and paying attention unless they expect something to happen."

Rep. Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, who was working on a potential right-to-work bill earlier this year, said he thinks a stage has been reached where right-to-work is no longer an issue that can be dodged.

"From what I've heard when talking with my colleagues in both the House and Senate, I believe there is solid support for right-to-work," Rep. Shirkey said. "I think that if somehow we don't get to take a vote on this issue that would in fact be a vote in and of itself."

Among the functions that took place at the "Freedom To Work" event were short sessions for grassroots right-to-work supporters who planned to visit lawmakers' offices. Supporters were reminded to identify themselves to lawmakers, and to, at all times, remain respectful and concise.