Candidates for State Board of Education

Nikki Snyder and Tom McMillin are our members of the Michigan State Board of Education, where they have passionately advocated for the interests of Michigan’s children for the past eight years, defending students and parents against the lobbyists and bureaucrats that put themselves ahead of Michigan families.

Nikki Snyder is a registered nurse, educator, and a mother of three. Tom McMillin is a former county commissioner, mayor of Auburn Hills, chair of the House Education Committee, and father of three.

Nikki and Tom recognize that students are ill served by layer upon layer of bureaucracy dictating from above how every school should teach every child, irrespective of children's diverse talents, interests, and needs. Nikki and Tom recognize that schools should serve the interests of children, parents, and the community – not to federal and state bureaucrats and corporate interests.

Nikki and Tom passionately resisted the senseless and cruel measures taken by the state during the pandemic that set Michigan students back years. They jointly led the effort to support children with special needs, who were especially harmed by the lack of human contact, speaking out when Democrats’ budgets neglected to compensate for their learning loss.

Nikki and Tom have defended us in the minority, fighting one-size-fits-none Common Core and high stakes testing, fighting attacks on parental rights, fighting attacks on charter schools and choice, fighting attacks on homeschooling, and fighting for transparency and accountability to parents.

Nikki and Tom understand that freedom and free enterprise are driving forces of success and prosperity, and the key to making great schools is to make them directly accountable to the families they serve.