Role of Community Influencers & Using Fiscal Solvency cont…
The findings of previous Title VI complaints noted the specific differences in the suburban districts similar to Detroit, which
allowed those districts to escape the authority of Emergency Management and all of the terrible outcomes our complaint will
describe has happened to minority districts.
We stipulate to the differences which allowed these suburban districts to escape emergency management, but the intent of the
conspirators, which has been revealed in the emails between Coalition members is clear and therefore makes the differences
between the white districts and DPS irrelevant. Targeting Detroit was not happenstance.
Because some suburban districts shared similar characteristics as Detroit Public Schools, and because some Charters shared
similar characteristics, regardless of the similarities, they did not want to include these suburban districts or Charters for their
plans. Thus, it really doesn’t matter how these suburban districts ESCAPED Emergency Management, the intent was never to
include them, in fact, the intent they speak of was to find was to find a way NOT to include them.
The local Coalition leaders were taking orders from conservative concept marketing corporation in Virginia via email:
The plan was to lower our enrollment. Curious then, that members of the Coalition included Robert Bobb, who was an agent
of the State. Coalition members worked together to craft language for public consumption, to win contracts, with an end
result to place contracted parties (themselves and individuals of their choosing) in appointments over the budget of Detroit
schools. Not DPS schools, but all publicly funded schools: DP, charter and EAA. Some of these players, including 501 c-3
entities, may have engaged creating an artificial turf, putting forward political candidates, and seeking language to convince
the public to abolish the Detroit Board of Education.
Governor Snyder doesn’t take their marching orders, but they are on the same team. That team, for which the Governor is the
quarterback, is working in the best interest of corporate interests, not in the best interest of vulnerable minority students and
property owners of Detroit. Detroit, and Michigan itself has always been on the forefront of Civil Rights with the
Underground Railroad. However, Brown vs. Board, the riots of 1967, the death of King, and Malcolm X were turning points
in African American history which spilled over in the City, resulting in white flight. Clearly, everyone did not agree with civil
rights, and specifically, school integration around the country. Busing in Detroit was a big part of that battle. The acquisition
of Civil Rights has in no way been easy. However, in Detroit, good factory jobs and the rise of Motown in the 1970’s helped to
elevate an African American middle class and carve out a community they called home and most importantly, a community
where African Americans had a voice. Detroit was an important voice, via leaders like Congressman John Conyers. In
Detroit, educated African Americans had finally found a home, as Richard Pryor joked.
Even before Conyers, when Reverend Nicholas Hood became the second African American member of the Detroit City
Council, in 1965, the Detroit News titled an essay, “Hood Disproves the myths as top Negro candidate”. The trifecta of Negro
myths being, ‘Negroes can’t be educated,” “Negroes can’t be trusted in leadership positions” and Negroes can’t be trusted to
vote”. The crack epidemic in the 1980’s, and automotive imports chipped away and created challenges to a thriving black
middle class, however what shredded the fabric of Detroit African American community has not been crack or layoffs. What
has hurt Detroit more than anything was the determination of a man from the suburbs of Detroit to remove leadership from
the largest African American community in the United States and take the schools, i.e. our ability to educate our children. Not
only that, but through retaliati on, the State took our ability to advocate for our children. With a gag order, the State took
teachers’ ability to report unethical practices and advocate for children and the standards of their profession.
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