I am just a little confused as to what this group feels will be accomplished by recalling the board. "Better the Devil you know than the devil you don't..." in other words, a recall would definitely delay plans but not stop the inevitable changes required. A new board - unless hand picked (which can't happen) won't assure either group a new board that favors their side. So this could all be just a waste of everyone's time and money. Let's just work together folks for what the district needs. This will be the only way to protect our property values and ensure young people will want to move into our district and buy our homes. One final quote" the school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize " -FDR

I think you've buried the lede here. For me, the most newsworthy point is that Bloomfield 20/20 had 90 days to collect enough signatures to force a recall and they failed to do so.

I'm very pleased that the misguided 20/20 effort seems to be having trouble getting the signatures it needs. Their effort is harmful to the community and the schools. Do any of us really want to deal with state mandated school of choice with two half full high schools? I doubt the state would make up the difference between what they pay and what we pay to educate our children.

So how does this 90 day thing work? If they didn't get enough signatures in that 90 day period, do they just get to tack on another 90 days? Or do they tack on 30 days and that 90 day period shifts? Do they lose the signatures they already have? How many chances do they get? Can't they see that the Bloomfield community (aside from their core group of supporters) actually doesn't want this disruption?

If they had even close to 5000 don't you think we would be hearing about the number?

The real story should be the presentation of the 85% schematic plan for the unified high school. The talk of the recall is just meant to deflect attention from this important meeting. The recall will happen or it won't, but today the important topic is understanding the plan. I encourage everyone to attend, listen, ask questions and voice their support or concerns.

Thank you Elizabeth, for your research and informed reply (here, and in other posts). However, in the same pdf entitled "Michigan Recall Procedures - A General Overview", it states: "A circulator may *not* (underlined) leave a recall petition unattended; all signatures must be signed *in the presence of the circulator* (underlined)". So... those 11,000 plus petitions mailed out by B20/20, at a cost of over $14,000 - it appears that those signatures should not be valid. I think that any recall official would consider 11,000 petitions (or whatever the return is) with one or two signatures each would have serious questions. (Hanging chads, anyone?) And Ken, you are right - they'd be making a lot more noise if they had the amount of signatures that they needed. And now Jenny is whining about the auditorium. And "local theater groups"? Please.

Hi, I attended the meeting last night, and in addition to being very impressed by both the FNI presentation as well as the transparency and openness by the board (the lack of which were some of the biggest gripes people had about the prior plan), I'm greatly surprised that the biggest moment of the evening wasn't mentioned at all: The *CO-FOUNDER* of Bloomfield 20/20, George Derderian, spoke out strongly AGAINST the recall effort (calling it "stupid") and strongly IN FAVOR of the new FNI high school plan during the public comments.

His basic take was that the situation has *completely* changed since B20/20 started 9 years ago, and that both the current plan and new Superintendent, Rob Glass, have satisfactorily addressed pretty much every concern that he had a decade ago.

Maybe everyone else already knew that Derderian was now on-board with the new plan and opposed to the recall, but it was quite an eye-opening moment for me.

Mr. Derderian would tell you himself, that he does business with the school district. You will see those who are in construction, or have contracts with the district, stand up against the recall to ensure the business keeps flowing. Also, B2020 members are very individualistic, we do not march in lock step. So, you will see some joining and some leaving, that's natural. The point really is - the district has enough money now to renovate, they do not need more taxes. And, as we've said all along, they do not get competitive bidding a lot of times and are wasteful. This is a very administrative top heavy district - not benefitting the students. Small schools are better for teens as recent research states, and we can afford two small, high schools and should. Franklin Road will be turned into a four lane road, if the district has its way. We are losing a lot of the charm and beauty of what our town used to be with all of this construction.

Ms McAlister essentially questions Mr. Derderian's integrity now that he no long agrees with her and the B20/20 group even though the same issues she alleges now were certainly present when he helped found the group. Again, it all seems fairly personal, not having much regard for what's good for the schools.

We have:

1. Personal attacks,
2. No facts backing up their statements about adequate resources,
3. An apparent disregard for the financial impact that two half filled high schools would have on the district, particularly with the prospect of state imposed partially funded school of choice,
4. Unsubstantiated complaints about bidding processes.

There is a reason the current B20/20 ideas are being rejected by the community as failed ideas. It's time to move ahead to protect our schools before we incur unnecessary additional costs because the current B20/20 plan seems to be to stall the process no matter what is best for the community.

Maybe the most important factor being missed here is the negative appearence... this entire thing has on the perception of not only our community - but to all the communities surrounding as...not to mention NEW families moving into the area, from out of state or other communities where the families are 'moving up' - looking for better schools. How can the BHSD - even compete with the Birmingham, Troy, Rochester ...schools - when there is so much negative press in the media. If the fighting doesn't stop- New school or not - people will choose to send their kids elsewhere for that reason alone - who wants to be in the middle of a community always at war within its own district lines. It doesn't even matter anymore about the YES or No groups - all anybody sees anymore is chaos,confusing and disagreement - this is what is hurting the community !!!

Delete GEORGE DERDERIAN
10:32am on Monday, October 24, 2011

Let me be perfectly clear, my position has always been for the improvement of Bloomfield Hills Schools and the students. When we created the original 20/20 nine years ago it was for parents to have a voice in the improvement and renovation for the high schools.It was also to have a voice in disagreement with Steve Gaynor and his tactics. Nine years later we now have a new superintendent in Rob Glass who I support and believe to be making every effort to resolve the issue for the children and our community. We cannot afford to renovate two schools any longer and we need to have a higher quality learning environment for our students to stay with all the other communities in our area. Recalling school board members and spending more money in a campaign with NO BENEFIT IS A WASTE OF TIME. We all need to recognize it is time we get behind a goal of moving forward as ONE COMMUNITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS. The suggestion that I do business with the schools and that is why I have changed my position is hurtful and wrong. There is no question that the economy is bad in Michigan, but the current plan with the additions is both resonable and makes sense. TIME IS NOW FOR ALL TO FORGIVE THE PAST AND SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS. Truly, George Derderian

It's now November 18. Does this mean the 2020 people did not collect sufficient signatures to have the recall. It seems that people affiliated with that group are posting and speaking in other directions (such as impugning the integrity of the person appointed to the school board) possibly as an attempt to keep stirring things up with the district. Does anyone know where this recall effort stands?