X. Prohibition to Use School Board Copy Machine is Unnecessary to Achieve Educational Goals and Creates
A Disadvantage to Minority Voters - Ongoing
SUMMARY
The Detroit School Board Office has a large copy machine which can make books, brochures and other lengthy
documents for meetings to distribute to voters/citizens who attend school board meetings and other interested
parties. Secretary, Joyce Zarrieff holds the key to this copier and does not allow elected School Board Members
to use it. As a result, if Board Members want a duplicate copy of any contract for a citizen, or to pass out a
communication that is several pages in length, they must use Fed Ex Kinkos and their own money to print.
Prior to Emergency Management, and in other districts, the Secretary reports to and works with the School
Board to facilitate document production and official correspondence. In Detroit, the Secretary is an official who
reports to the Emergency Manager only. If the Emergency Manager’s policy is that Board Members cannot use
the copy machine, then they must bear the expense. School Board Members are paid only a stipend of $27 for
meeting. Therefore paying to make copies of the documents they are required to research and information
requested by voters causes undue hardship on them and creates a disadvantage to minority voters to be able to
obtain information they request from Board members.
ETHICS
Most districts would not force Board members to bear this expense. The process of frustrating the elected
leaders of the community in their duty and desire to communicate with the community only results in
resentment, distrust and a feeling that the Governor is not operating with honest intentions and good will.
NO BENEFIT
If the goal is to save money, there are ot her ways money could be saved without creating this burden on the
school board, or the minority community. The justification to save money is a cloak to keep the suspicious
contracts detailing how money is spent from the understanding of the general public, and a pretext for
discrimination.
ALTERNATIVES
Provide requested documentation to individuals the School Board. Allow them to make copies of the
documents they are required to review.
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