As someone who is from detroit and getting ready to enter the teacher work force this cuts deep. I'm glad this was posted to the list-I think it adds some more dimension to a city that is just referred to here in a techno context.
I'm also glad to see the article mentioned the no child left behind act. In the whole cycle of everything, these kind of actions kill a city. How can you expect a city to thrive when it's schools/communities can't even support themselves? What happens when the foundation starts to crumble? Truely sad. --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > yep true and sad........ > > -----Original Message----- > From: Katrin Richter [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Mon 05/04/2004 10:56 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; 313@hyperreal.org > > Cc: > Subject: AW: (313) Detroit schools to cut 3,200 > jobs > > > > Well, I guess this says it all: > > "Ninety percent of the remaining students are > African-American, with more than 7 out of 10 > students coming from families living below the > official poverty level." > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Gesendet: Montag, 5. April 2004 11:37 > An: Katrin Richter; 313@hyperreal.org > Betreff: RE: (313) Detroit schools to cut 3,200 > jobs > > so the simple thing is to invest :) > > I know we all have a soft spot for Detroit and so I > am be a little biased here but is it me > or is detroit picked on? I think they should if > they ae doing cut backs, use the money to invest in > the city > not make matters worse.. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Katrin Richter > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Mon 05/04/2004 09:49 > To: 313@hyperreal.org > Cc: > Subject: (313) Detroit schools to cut 3,200 > jobs > > > > I guess this is on topic as school was the > only place to hook up for > Derrick, Kevin and Juan as there was > nowhere else to go > > Detroit schools to cut 3,200 jobs > By Jerry Isaacs > 3 April 2004 > Use this version to print | Send this link > by email | Email the author > Detroit Public Schools officials announced > Thursday the district would lay > off 3,200 school employees, including 900 > teachers, by July 1. The job cuts, > which amount to 13 percent of the > workforce, are in response to a budget > shortfall of $78 million last year and a > projected deficit of $91 million in > 2005, officials say. > The cuts in the $1.5 billion budget follow > an announcement last month that > an additional 450 administrators could lose > their jobs. The district, which > already faces chronic overcrowding in the > classrooms, also plans to shut at > least three schools, in addition to the 16 > closed or consolidated last year. > The budget for supplies and purchased > services will be cut by more than > one-third to save $50 million, with funding > for playground improvements > slashed from $1 million to $250,000. > The layoffs will wreak havoc, particularly > for teachers who are already > short-handed and stretched to the limit. > "You could see a gym teacher who is > certified in kindergarten through six grade > become a homeroom teacher, or an > instrumental teacher might have to go back > to the classroom," district > spokesman Mario Morrow said. > Kenneth Burnley, CEO of the Detroit Public > Schools, said he also plans to > renegotiate the district's contract with > the Detroit Federation of Teachers > in order reduce or eliminate 3-4 percent > annual raises that teachers are > due. > The 151,000-student school district-the > largest in the state-has been hit > hard by federal and state budget cuts, the > ongoing loss of manufacturing > jobs and tax revenue in Michigan, rising > fuel costs and a decline in > enrollment. Over the last eight years > nearly 30,000 students have > transferred to charter, private and > suburban schools. Ninety percent of the > remaining students are African-American, > with more than 7 out of 10 students > coming from families living below the > official poverty level. > Facing a $1 billion state deficit, > Michigan's Democratic governor Jennifer > Granholm and the state legislature are > cutting per-pupil grants for K-12 > education by $55 per student and revising > the formula for counting pupils in > schools, in order to slash another $43 > million from state spending for > schools. In the proposed state budget, > Detroit could also lose another $15 > million it has been receiving since the > state took over the district in > 1999. On Wednesday the state senate also > rejected a plan that would have > given extra money to districts with > declining enrollments. > Because of stagnating or falling revenue > school districts throughout > Michigan are facing budget cuts and > layoffs. According to Tom White, > executive director of the Michigan School > Business officials, 90 percent of > state districts are planning to lay off > staff or not fill open positions. > "It's like getting squeezed by a python," > he said, the "pressure just is > increasing as time goes by. It is going to > get ugly and I don't hear a great > deal of concern being raised in [the state > capital] Lansing." > Like other districts nationwide, Detroit > schools are also threatened by the > provisions of the Bush administration's > 2001 federal education plan, the > so-called No Child Left Behind Act, which > removes federal funds if districts > fail to achieve specific academic goals. > One quarter of the district's > schools have already been warned they must > overhaul their operations because > of "chronic failure." The school district > received a federal reading grant > of nearly $6.5 million in August but > continued funding hinges on > 1st-through-8th and 10th-graders passing > tests at the end of the school > year. The budget cutbacks announced > Thursday all but ensure future failures, > guaranteeing even more devastating budget > cuts. > "We don't need any more cuts," said Mary, a > longtime Detroit school bus > driver. "What is going to happen to the > kids with special needs, the > disabled and impaired students? We heard > they plan to take away the bus > attendants that help us in the busses with > handicapped students. This is > outrageous. > "The conditions are already unbearable in > the schools. Buildings are falling > apart, there is no toilet paper or soap in > the bathrooms, the classrooms are > overcrowded and the teachers are spending > money out of their own pockets for > supplies. These budget cuts are taking the > future away from our kids. With > the casinos downtown making millions and > CEOs are raking it in how can they > say there is no money for schools? > "You know the economy is way down when you > start taking away from schools > that are already hurting. How can you talk > about 'No Child Left Behind' when > you are laying off teachers?" > See Also: > Detroit school employees march against > layoffs > [22 February 2002] > Detroit school restructuring plan attacks > workers and students > [17 April 2001] > > http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/apr2004/detr-a03.shtml > > > > > > > === message truncated === __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway http://promotions.yahoo.com/design_giveaway/
