If there are lies, damn lies and statistics, those attached to education may fall into a special category. Rankings like this simply don’t mean anything, a guest columnist says.
Guest Commentary
At Bridge, we believe in listening to voices from all over our state. Got something to say? Contact us and join the conversation (details below)
How to submit a Guest Commentary
What to know:
Bridge welcomes a diversity of voices and perspectives from readers on issues important to Michigan. Guest commentaries reflect the views of the author(s), and are independent of the nonpartisan, fact-driven reporting of Bridge’s newsroom staff.
Commentaries must be the author’s original work and preferably will not have appeared first in other publications. Bridge reserves the right to decline submissions at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit commentary for grammar, clarity, brevity or to address legal or factual concerns. We may offer editing suggestions, but in the service of making your work more accessible, not to alter your views.
We do not pay for guest commentary.
Here are some guidelines:
- Columns are usually 500-700 words
- They generally focus on a Michigan topic or policy and should avoid ad hominem attacks
- The more direct, distinct and/or intimate your perspective, the more effective your column will be
- The best columns do more than identify problems; they also offer solutions and facts to back them up
- Please include a one- or two-sentence bio, including the writer’s organization or relevant background.
- Authors must show their work, by backing up facts with links to reports or studies
- Bridge does not publish self-promotional columns or candidate endorsements
- Send a good quality, large headshot of the writer(s) as an attachment
- We also ask that, in return for publishing a guest commentary, the author(s) and their organizations generously promote the link to the published column through your Facebook, Twitter and other social or professional networks.
That’s about it. Keep the writing clear, conversational and free of jargon, and sell our smart and receptive readership on the argument you are trying to make.
Who to contact:
Email your submission or idea to guestcommentary@bridgemi.com. Please briefly describe who you are and what you would like to say and put the words “guest commentary” in the email subject line.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Enbridge oil pipes and the Straits of Mackinac: Too risky to ignore
Extreme winters and hollow promises set the stage for a potential environmental calamity unless something changes.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Not bigger government, but better services when Community Health and Human Services merge
Combining two state departments will mean greater efficiency in services, but more important, a seamless approach to serving residents in need.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Discriminate against a newborn? It’s legal in Michigan
Baby, there’s something wrong when a pediatrician can refuse to treat an infant because her parents are lesbians. The legislature should make sure it never happens again.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Michigan must abolish cruel gas chamber deaths for shelter pets
When abandoned animals must be euthanized, injection is not only more humane, but less expensive to carry out. There is no reason to allow shelters to inflict needless suffering on animals
Posted inGuest Commentary
Higher education is critical to improving Michigan’s economy
Colleges and universities are well-positioned to help Michigan become a top 10 state.
Posted inGuest Commentary
State needs to encourage 529 college savings plans
The Obama Administration’s plan (since cancelled) to end tax breaks for the popular college savings option is short-sighted. Without a dedicated account for college savings, many families would not put away the money needed for children’s higher education.
Posted inGuest Commentary
After 40 years, effect of Michigan’s PBB crisis still not fully known
In 1973, a mistake exposed millions of residents to food contaminated with a dangerous chemical. Are those who consumed it still at risk? Studies are unclear.
Posted inGuest Commentary
MSU Dean: Obama’s free college plan is not best path to a degree
Where will the money come from? Why would Republicans embrace it? Wouldn’t aid be better spent on only those students who truly need help? Too many questions for now.
Posted inGuest Commentary
Michigan criminal code encroaching on civil liberties
New, get-tough laws requiring DNA swabs or field sobriety tests from people who have not yet been convicted stretch the limits of government power.
