Top leaders from the Detroit Federation of Teachers, a group of teachers and school administrators met today with Gov. Rick Snyder to talk about the future of the Detroit Public Schools—including plans for new leadership and paying the debt.
While this was not officially a DFT meeting, union leaders quickly steered the meeting towards a focus on the demands that we have continued to make to the governor, including:
DPS Leadership
We also used the meeting with the governor as an occasion to ask tough questions about the leadership of DPS. As we told you in a Feb. 19 DFT email to members, there were rumors that Gov. Snyder had asked retired U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Steven Rhodes—who oversaw the city’s bankruptcy—to lead DPS. Rhodes, who was present at today’s meeting with the governor, has agreed to head a leadership transition team that will oversee DPS operations when outgoing Emergency Manager Darnell Earley exits on Feb. 28.
Tonya Allen, president and CEO of the Skillman Foundation, has been asked by Rhodes to serve on the DPS leadership transition team. Allen also had been rumored last week to be a possible candidate to run DPS. Over the past week or so, Allen has had a number of conversations with teachers to seek input before making a decision about whether to purse the DPS leadership position. DFT leaders strongly urged Rhodes to consider adding a third transition team member position that would be filled with significant input from the union. We believe there should be space on the transition team for a person from the school district who is known and respected by educators and school employees. Rhodes expressed interest in the idea of a third team member and asked for DFT input on the criteria for such a position.
Education Legislation
DFT leaders also spoke openly with the governor and his team about the urgency around passing DPS legislation during the current legislative session to pay the debt and return schools to local control. In the coming months, DFT will be seeking input from members as we work to identify suitable candidates to serve on a newly elected school board.
Special Meeting for All DPS Employees
One of the most immediate outcomes of the meeting with Gov. Snyder is a meeting with Judge Rhodes that will be open to all DPS employees. The meeting will be held at 4 p.m., this Wednesday, Feb. 24, at Cass Technical High School, 2501 Second Ave.
If you have questions you want to have answered during the meeting, email them to Q&A@dft231.com.
We encourage members to attend the meeting at 4 p.m., on Feb. 24, and we look forward to seeing you there. Show your solidarity with colleagues in the DFT at the meeting by wearing red and your “Our Fight for Detroit Kids” button.
In unity,
Ann & Ivy