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