Detroit Public Schools will be completely broke by April. Here's how things got to this point.
One of Michigan's most controversial public figures had his last day as emergency manager of Detroit Public Schools this week. To replace him is another state-appointed manager: Judge Steven Rhodes, the man who oversaw Detroit's historic bankruptcy case.
This change in leadership may not be surprising after months of widespread "sickouts," teacher protests involving calling in sick to protest the horrific school conditions. Rhodes faces a public school system — one that could run out of money completely by April — crumbling in financial ruin and a community that doesn't really want someone from the state in charge of fixing it.
Some of that has to do with the last guy in charge.
You may have heard of him: Darnell Earley, who earned national scrutiny for his role in the Flint water crisis, where he also served as emergency manager. The president of Detroit's teachers union, Ivy Bailey, compared recent Detroit Public Schools closures to the lead-poisoned water in Flint.
"This is like the current situation in Flint, where the citizens’ concerns have been ignored," she said in defense of the hundreds of teachers who have called in sick to protest hazardous conditions at local public schools.
Earley said he resigned because he fulfilled his goal of a "comprehensive restructuring" ahead of his 18-month schedule. Earley, DPS's fourth emergency manager, was appointed in January 2015.
But clearly, teachers unions disagree that the situation is resolved satisfactorily. Earley is facing a lawsuit from the Detroit Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, DFT interim president Ivy Bailey, and others.
But Rhodes, who started Tuesday, is not an emergency manager. His title is transition manager, and he says he aims to give full control of the district back to the community by August.
First, however, Rhodes says the Michigan state legislator must pass spending bills to keep the district afloat.
"This is not the time for lines in the sand," Rhodes told WXYZ Detroit. "The District has debt — over $500 million that it cannot pay while at the same time fulfilling its obligation to educate the kids."
What is happening in Detroit's public schools?
The conditions of Detroit Public Schools (DPS) have been declining for some time, and teachers are becoming increasingly fed up.
DPS has been run by a state-appointed manager since 2009. In the past decade the district has suffered from massive enrollment losses and exceedingly low levels in student achievement (in one nationwide exam, Detroit students ranked last in performance of large city schools), and has incurred more than $500 million in operating debt.
If the state and the district can't sort out this problem by April, it will run out of money, Detroit Public Schools will be completely broke by April. Here's how things got to this point. - Vox:
