Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. — Republican governor hopeful John James pressed parental rights and school accountability at a Monday afternoon metro Detroit news conference.
The Oct. 12 event in Grosse Pointe Woods came a little more than three weeks before the Nov. 3 election. James stood with parents and students talking about school rights and girls’ sports, including a parent in a dispute with Grosse Pointe Public Schools over classroom displays.
James said those issues matter but argued they distract from weak reading scores and overall school performance. His education focus, he said, is classroom results — not activism.
He wants Michigan in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, which offers tax breaks for donations that can fund private-school scholarships for some low-income families. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has held off, saying she still needs federal details.
James also argued the State Board of Education and superintendents answer to the constitution, not the governor, and he wants more oversight power if elected. Opponent Jocelyn Benson, the secretary of state, says he is dodging affordability for Michigan families.
Separately, James told reporters voters have tuned out attack ads and that he will lean on press, social media and word of mouth after an RGA-backed group cut TV buys. AdImpact data show Democratic ad spending on the governor’s race far ahead of Republican buys.
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