I interviewed a couple of teachers who have been teaching with DPS for over ten years, along with a parent. They opened up about Robert Bobb and his new call to action for school closures and charter school conversions. They were also asked questions pertaining to the issues the district faces, including whether or not they would keep their children in Detroit Public Schools as opposed to enrolling them into newly established charter schools for the next school year. The good thing about these interviews is the fact that both teachers were extremely honest, considering the climate the district is in.
Archive for April, 2011
Thomas Moss, Jr., an assistant principal at Renaissance High School gives his take on education and why DPS struggles. He links city government to education when explaining the issue DPS faces. Moss also attributes a quality education to parental involvement, noting that it is an essential component to a child’s education. Moss has been with Detroit Public Schools for over 15 years. He started off as a substitute teacher, then moved on to be an attendance officer at Cooley High School, which is now closed. While at Cooley, Moss became a social studies teacher and head football coach. Later on, he was promoted to assistant principal until it was closed in 2010. I chose to interview him because he has performed in many different capacities with DPS and could offer some insight on why the district in trouble.
125 parents, teachers and principals gathered at a school representation meeting Monday, April 25. They each represented six schools up for closure. Each school was allotted 2o minutes to make their final plea to Robert Bobb in hopes of keeping their schools open.
The schools are scheduled to close in June. The only thing that can keep the schools open is if a charter operator buys the buildings and takes over.
Last month, Detroit Public Schools Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb announced his Renaissance 2012 plan, which will close eight schools by 2013. It also calls to offer 45 school to charter operators for purchase.
Eighteen of the 45 schools will close by the end of June if charter operators don’t come forward. The plan is put in place to reduce the school district’s $327 million budget deficit and boost enrollment.
The remaining 27 schools will remain open even if charter operators don’t purchase them and take over. Nine charter operators have visited Detroit Public Schools buildings so far. The school district has already received 25 letters of intent from public and private organizations that are interested in 64 of the district’s buildings.
In 2000, enrollment of students was about 168, 000. As of now, enrollment has declined to more than half at 73,000. Detroit Public Schools projections say that by 2016 will decline to about 50,000.
First of all, Bobb is full of crap. The only reason he’s allowing these meetings to go on is to make parents, teachers and administrators believe their input matters. They can beg and plead all they want, but Bobb already has his mind made up on what schools will close and what schools will stay open.
For more visit http://detnews.com/article/20110424/SCHOOLS/104240311/DPS-schools-slated-for-closure-prepare-to-plead-their-cases
All members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers have received layoff notices. Administrators were served with non-renewal notices.
The Detroit Federation of Teachers consists of 5,466 members. There are 248 administrators in the district.
Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb plans to revise union contracts in May. The notices are required under the collective bargaining agreement. The effective date for layoffs for the Detroit Federation of Teachers is at the end of the day on July 29.
Detroit Federation of Teachers Keith Johnson said the majority of layoff notices will be dismissed, especially in areas like math, science, foreign and bilingual languages, and computer technology.
This is the first time every member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers received layoff notices and the first time their contract has been threatened with termination.
In 2009, Bobb wanted the union to give up the process of hiring based on seniority to give administrators the power to hire and fire teachers despite their years of experience. The Detroit Federation of Teachers agreed to $90 million in concessions, but had to loan the school district $10,000.
Bobb is allowed to modify or terminate existing collective bargaining agreements. But he would have to wait 60 days, or until May 17.
Layoff and non-renewal notices don’t necessarily mean that everyone will lose their jobs. Last year, 2,000 teachers received layoff notices but by August most of the notices were dismissed. But, all teachers had to re-interview for their jobs.
I disagree with Keith Johnson. The majority of layoff notices won’t be dismissed due to the fact 45 schools are either being closed or converted to charter schools. Therefore when this happens less teachers and administrators will be needed in DPS. My mom is a teacher and my father is an assistant principal. I hate the fact that they have to re-interview for their jobs each year, especially my mom whose been teaching for 27 years. It’s just all wrong.
For more visit http://detnews.com/article/20110415/SCHOOLS/104150347
Emergency Financial Manager of Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, has proposed to convert over 40 schools to charter schools. The plan is called “Renaissance 2012.”
The deficit elimination plan that is already in place calls for closing 70 schools over a two-year period by 2013. It will also decrease the number of principals and increase class sizes. But, Bobb doesn’t think the plan would benefit students’ education experience.
Along with “Renaissance 2012,” Bobb proposed four other plans. Two would call for more school closings. The third proposed the expansion of charter schools. The school district currently contains nine charter schools. The fourth plan includes the creation of a new district, a request for a fixed level of state funding despite enrollment levels and conversion of 41 public schools to charter schools.
School Board President Anthony Adams believes this to be plan. The fourth plan, known as the hybrid model, would save the district $75 million to $99 million in operating costs, $22 million in closure costs, while adding an estimated $21.85 million in revenues from charter schools for building and equipment leases.
Enrollment is expected to drop 30 percent from nearly 73,000 students in 2011 to nearly 51,000 by 2016. Bobb’s last day as the emergency financial manager is June 30. The state plans to replace him with another financial manager.
Charter operators and entrepreneurs visited a conference April 14 to get a closer look at Bobb’s new plan, Renaissance 2012, to eliminate the deficit DPS faces. Over 70 organizations interested in chartering public schools came to the conference. Those interested were encourage to apply and given information on buildings, tours and what it takes to establish a charter board.
I think the whole charter school thing is pointless because it will most likely produce the same results as DPS. As of now, it’s not a requirement for teachers to be certified, unlike it is in DPS. Teachers get paid less to deal with the same kids that go to DPS. I understand the idea is to fix the deficit but selling schools to the highest bidder isn’t the right way.
For more visit http://detnews.com/article/20110415/SCHOOLS/104150370
Detroit School Board President, Anthony Adams’ wife has accused him of living outside of the city, which violates board policy.
Deborah Ross Adams, a judge in Wayne County Circuit Court, claims her husband lives in Oakland County in her divorce filing. She also filed that he’s claiming that he lives in their Palmer Woods home to meet his residency requirement for the school board.
School Board President Anthony Adams
Adams served as deputy mayor under former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. In court records, he said that his wide changed the lock on their home and asked him to stay away. But, Adams does admit that he temporarily lives in an apartment on East Jefferson, which is outside of the district he was elected in.
He filed for divorce in 2009 after 31 years of marriage. In a deposition, said he stopped living at he and his estranged wife’s home in January 2005.
Their divorce is scheduled for March 21 before Oakland Circuit Judge Mary Ellen Brennan. Their case was transferred to Oakland County Circuit Court after all judges in Wayne County Family Court dismissed themselves. His wife is a family court judge. She alleges that Adams lives in Troy with another woman, which has yet to be proven.
Although Adams may be in violation of school board policy, which requires all members to be residents of the city of Detroit, DPS has bigger fish to fry, like the school system’s deficit, school closures and layoff notices. Maybe after the smoke clears, officials should further investigate allegations. Hopefully, this isn’t just a product of a woman scorned making up false accusations.
I’m just tired of elected officials in Detroit thinking that they can do whatever they want and feel exempt from any punishment. For example, look at former mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. He did pretty much everything illegal in office. Yet, while in prison he seeks a lesser sentence and believes he’s done nothing wrong.
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Apr
DPS School Closure Map
This map locates some Detroit Public Schools that will either be closed or converted into charter schools. When hovering over the location, it will either say “Closure Summer 2011” or “Closure Summer 2011/Possible Charter.” Most schools on the map are elementary schools.
View DPS Closures/Charters in a larger map