Of the 16 Detroit children on the Natonal Center for Missing & Exploited Children, only two records are older
than 2011 when Governor Snyder, began the school closures. There are theories about four of the remaining
missing children. The other 10 have vanished without any media coverage. Certainly, we wish to do all we can
to provide the best community for our kids. Emergency Manager, Darnell Early made an order in January that
our meetings and our topics are subject to his approval. We are challenged when we are prohibited from
redressing the concerns of the community as needed.
Hardship is faced by minority families, when the Governor, through his agents, the Emergency Managers:
- closed specialized schools for disabled children who now must be transported to other schools,
- closed other schools whose former students must now be driven,
- did not provide a well thought out safe route or an organized pick up and drop off plan for combined schools.
There is a safe route program, however as far as most families are aware, this program is manned by
neighborhood volunteers. The volunteers do a great job, however, it does not absolve the Governor of his
responsibility to create safe transportation to students he forces to attend schools far outside of their
neighborhoods.
We are afraid by the recent surge in the rape of females on their way to school now. Here are a few of the
alarming cases.
- In June of 2011, a 17 year old female was raped walking from school.
- In June of 2012, a 13 and 14 year old were raped walking to school.
- In December 2014, an 11 year old was brutally raped and assaulted on her way to school.
- In December 2014, an 18 year old was raped walking home from school.
- In May of 2015, two 14 years old were raped.
- In May of 2015, there were four attempted abductions of girls coming from school.
While safety of students is the biggest transportation concern, distance can create tardiness. When students are
late, they do not receive breakfast, and studies show that students do not learn well when they are hungry.
Students who are late also miss significant class period time. The tardiness is not always the fault of the
parents. In the December 2012, Detroit Public Schools Reform Redesign Report, for Oakman Orthopedic,
Principal Cheryl Price states:
“A number of our students arrive to school late (3%) and/or are picked up early (2.5%),
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