East Grand Rapids Public Schools

Parents should always have a role in their children’s education – make your voice heard!
East Grand Rapids Public Schools will hold a School Board election for 3 seats on November 8, 2022. School Board members are selected “At Large,” meaning voters will be able to vote for 3 of the 7 candidates on the ballot. The candidates are Peter Bisbee, Karen Machiorlatti-Waldron, Benjamin Masterson, Mike Reid (I), Janice Yates (I), Matthew Richenthal, and Steve Millman.
Click each candidate’s name to learn more about their priorities and positions.

CANDIDATES

Peter Bisbee is a registered Republican.

 

Among his priorities Bisbee promotes parental rights, curriculum transparency, and keeping politics out of the classroom.

 

Bisbee supports higher teacher pay and increased funding for the arts.

 

Visit Peter Bisbee’s website to learn more.

Peter Bisbee is a father of 2 and public policy professional.

Karen Machiorlatti-Waldron is a registered Republican.

Karen Machiorlatti-Waldron does not appear to have online campaign resources.

Benjamin Masterson is a registered Republican.

Benjamin Masterson does not appear to have online campaign resources.

Mike Reid is a registered Democrat.

 

Reid promoted district Administrators attending a training during which the State Board of Education recommended that “students be addressed by their chosen name and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity.”

 

Reid is endorsed by all current members of the East Grand Rapids School Board.

 

Visit Mike Reid’s website and Facebook to learn more.

Mike Reid is a father of 3 and is the School Board President.

Janice Yates is a registered Democrat.

 

Relating to Covid vaccines, Yates says, “if you are choosing to remain unvaccinated for an unrelated health reason, YOU are the problem.”

 

Yates has promoted the idea that the needs of public schools are intentionally unmet “in order to privatize it.”

 

Visit Janice Yates’ website to learn more.

Janice Yates is a mother and former teacher at East Grand Rapids High School. She currently serves on the School Board.

Matthew Richenthal is a registered Democrat. He is endorsed by the Kent County Democratic Party and other Democratic candidates.

 

Richenthal stresses diversity and inclusion as priorities.

 

Richenthal says he “trust(s) teachers to know what’s best for their students.”

 

Visit Matthew Richenthal’s website and Facebook to learn more.

Matthew Richenthal is a father of 2 and is the owner and co-founder of Mediavine.

Steve Millman is a registered Democrat.

 

Millman says he is dedicated to “fostering an inclusive environment” and committed to “combatting systemic inequalities.”

 

Millman has been endorsed by Incumbent School Board members Mike Reid and Janice Yates who are also both Democrats running for re-election.

 

Visit Steve Millman’s Facebook to learn more.

Steve Millman is a father of 4 and the President of a Commercial Real Estate firm.

Need to find your polling place? Visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.

To confirm you live within East Grand Rapids Public School District, visit this map.

To learn more about East Grand Rapids Public Schools, visit the district’s official webpage.

Paid for by Free to Learn Action. This website is a project of Free to Learn Action. It is not affiliated with, associated with, or sponsored by East Grand Rapids Public Schools. The official government website for the school board can be found here. | © Free to Learn Action 2022. All rights reserved.