The Local Teacher You Need To Know This November

In the winter of 2025, Casey Noce sought the ear of State Representative Mark Tisdel for Rochester/Rochester Hills. Rep Tisdel had begun working on draft legislation to prohibit smartphones in publicly funded schools. Casey met with Rep Tisdel to offer his support of the bill and share his personal experience as a teacher and high school coach of 10 years. Their conversation was filled with genuine passion and concern for Michigan students. Soon after their initial meeting, the bill was introduced. Rep Tisdel invited Casey to testify in favor of the bill in the State House Education Committee. He quickly agreed. At the committee meeting, Casey shared how his school monitors and enforces a smartphone ban. The committee was filled with many former teachers who expressed their concern and agreement with the premise and language of the bill; now named HB 4141. It wasn’t long after that the bill was brought to the floor of the State House. This bipartisan issue, backed by the Governor, was a sure thing; or so many thought. The bill failed in the House after many Democrats voted in a party-line vote to derail the bill. Why? There seems to be only one explanation. Rep Tisdel is a Republican who occupies a purple seat. Politicians play games. Our students suffer the consequences. Months went by. Casey was still eager to get something done. He went to Lansing again to visit his friend Rep Tisdel. Rep Tisdel invited Casey to be a guest on the State House floor that day. Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, the bill Casey and Rep Tisdel had worked on several months ago would come back to the floor for a vote; this time, with the encouragement of the Governor. The vote passed. Watch the video here.

A flame was lit. Casey saw that he could make a difference in the lives of people all across the state. It was not impossible to speak up and get something done, as many Michiganders may believe. On the contrary, when good people step up and speak up, they can make a difference. 

Casey is running for State Representative in Michigan House District 22. He is determined to continue effectuating positive, common sense reforms for Michigan’s education system. Currently, Michigan students are at the bottom of the national rankings for reading and math. See more

 It is time for Lansing to focus on what is best for our students. 

Casey has a plan to reform education. He will work to ensure raises for teachers are appropriated at the state level. He has a plan to exempt those who teach and train our students in schools from the State income tax. He will push for better curriculum and end the regulations keeping schools from improving and updating their curriculum. He will make sure schools are safe by providing funding for two school resource officers at every school in Michigan. And he will ensure that students will be taught to read and write rather than be indoctrinated into a certain set of beliefs or harassed due to their opinions of religious affiliations. 

Casey reflected on his own public school experience. “I grew up in public schools. I loved my experience. I had many teachers who did not agree with my opinions; political or religious. Yet, they loved me and wanted the best for me. They treated me with respect and value. I felt cared for and heard. I learned how to get along with people who disagreed with me and I learned to value their opinions. Public school helped me understand people and build empathy so I could be a better neighbor.” Casey is leading the charge to put political games aside and come together to create policy that works for the next generation. “Students have been the subject of a decade-long experiment.” Casey said in response to the Michigan public school system. “We have tested new teaching strategies, new ways of dealing with misbehavior, new ways of teaching reading and writing, new technology in the classroom, and a new educational philosophy focused on more political ideology and less on age appropriate learning. The results are in. These experiments have failed. An entire generation of youth have been denied their right to learn. And we must change course.” 

Casey believes in promoting classical education, teaching phonics, shop class and home economics. He believes students should learn from teachers who have been professionals in their fields, not just people who have learned the latest new theories. Casey believes teachers should be valued and compensated generously for their sacrifice and willingness to guide and encourage the next generation. Casey believes schools should be safe and protected from harassment and violence. Casey believes it is time we put our children first. 

Casey Noce is the local teacher you need to know this November.