A town hall meeting will be held tonight for parents concerned about the possible school closures in Detroit.
In January, the State School Reform Office released a list of 38 schools -- most of which are in Detroit -- that have been in the bottom 5 percent for at least 3 years - and could be forced to close.
Many parents and schools protested.
They argue that many schools statistically fail because they don’t have the resources needed to serve their at risk or poor students.
In mid-March, Detroit Public Schools Community District filed suit.
The lawsuit says the school reform office should not be in power of such things. It is part of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget - controlled by the governor. It is not in the Michigan Department of Education controlled by the State Board of Education.
The suit also says that as a new district just released from state control, the DPSCD should have 3 years to get schools on the right track. It says it isn’t fair for the state to close schools because the state failed them with emergency management.
Then in late March, the state superintendent of schools sent out letters to schools impacted offering them a chance to enter a partnership and avoid closure.
Many parents wonder what all this means for their schools.
A town hall meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Chosen Generations Community Center on 7 Mile. The meeting is sponsored by the 14th District Democrats Political Action Committee.
There is definitely politics at play - and a debate as to what the future of public education should look like.
