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Health & Fitness

Oh brother! Pontiac "consents" to state EM who isn't an "EM"

Just because the school year is underway, MEAP testing almost done, Homecomings wrapping up, fall festivals on the horizon, etc., we should not forget that Governor Snyder's education reform to "unbundle" school districts and end public education as we know it has ceased.

The reforms are coming to Oakland County and BHSD, make no mistake about it. Stay calm, though, none of this will ever come our way.

Indeed, the political rhetoric has quieted some as the Governor discovered that  closing even relatively politically powerless districts like Saginaw Buena Vista and Inkster had negative consequences.

But relentless positivity is -- as always -- on the march.

Yesterday, the Pontiac School District was forced to accept a "consultant" at 750k over two years per their "consent" agreement. This is an emergency manager by another name. As expected, Donald Weatherspoon, brother of MDE official Gregory Weatherspoon, left his jobs at the EM at
Highland Park and Muskegon Heights to take the role.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131015/SCHOOLS/310150104/1361/Pontiac-school-board-OKs-consulta...

Guess who takes over for Mr. Weatherspoon at Highland Park and Muskegon Heights? His brother Gregory, of course.

You can't make this stuff up.

Chartering public school Districts is a family business, apparently, involving a rather tight network. Frankly, I was hoping Birmingham's Chuck Moss would take over at Highland Park, given his intense concern last lame duck session for Highland Park and his willingness to consider "unbundling" his own high functioning Districts to help. But as it stands the Weatherspoons will continue to seek to improve schools by closing public ones, firing teachers, and tossing out books. Muskegon Heights and Highland Park are the only fully charted Districts in the state. Mr. Weatherspoon's credentials include enraging Highland Park residents by casually tossing out books: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/07/10/exclusive-inside-highland-parks-black-history-collection/

Teacher turnover in Muskegon Heights has moved faster than state jobs around the Weatherspoon family table. And one can't cite a single improvement...but when you are gripped by the education reform virus...

Now, to be fair, the Governor did have to hesitate in turning over Pontiac to the EAA and John Covington as the Michigan Senate still won't codify the District as "statewide." HB4369 has been with them since April.

Emergencies, emergencies, emergencies.

And he did facilitate the resignation of State Treasurer Andy Dillon so all this wouldn't look so weird in the context of Dillon's much publicized personal troubles.http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/10/resigning_michigan_treasurer_a.html You see, the State Treasurer is the one who actually has to close the Districts and gosh it would have been strange for Dillon to shut down Pontiac just now.

But look for Pontiac to charter up soon, and for the state to lose one more geographically defined District as called for by the state constitution. Please box up those books though.



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