VOL. 48 — NO. 8 POSTMASTER: All forms 3579 are to be forwarded to Detroit Federation of Teachers, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48202 April 2010 Bobb to Close 41 More Schools s a reward for making dents, she says. world. The school has operated all Apple. “When you have a lan - Adequate Yearly Progress “This building is very, very year short 1.6 teachers. At one guage, you have a culture.” Aand creating centers of important,” Collrin said. “This time the school bulged with 350 Teachers said Detroit has all- excellence, Emergency Financial needs to be the hub, the heartbeat, students. Today it has 56. But boys and all-girls schools, yet it Manager Robert Bobb named sev - for the deaf and hard of hearing decisions by a series of revolving- won’t have a school for the deaf. eral of these high-performing community.” door administrators damaged the “Detroit is big enough,” said schools to be among 41 to close. According to Collrin, the district program and moved kids out. Nan Asher, executive director of Carstens Elementary School in has decimated a program that “Deafness is the only disability the Michigan Association for Deaf 2009 was named one of the top needs to be world-class for deaf with a language attached to it,” and Hard of Hearing, “to be able five Title I schools in the state for students to succeed in the outside said DDSD Principal Candace to give you choices.” making significant growth. Carstens raised its language pro - Dr. Seuss Party Held at Garvey Academy ficiency scores by 59 percent and its math scores by 80 percent since 2005. Still, it’s slated to close. Parents and teach - ers around the district called impromp - tu meet - ings to discuss how to save their school – and often – their commu - nity. Parents at the Detroit Day School for the Deaf, met March 22 to discuss closing a school that is a lifeline to children and families. “To Bobb it’s not a matter of the school, it’s a matter of the dollars,” said Pamela Hankerson, a member of the deaf community. GREEN EGGS AND HAM “Bobb is not interested in —Teachers at Marcus Garvey Detroit Public Schools,” said Academy held a birthday party for Niaomi Edmunds, who attended Dr. Seuss creator Theodor Seuss the meeting. “He’s interested in closing public schools and opening Geisel, who died in 1991 but charter schools.” whose legendary characters endure. Garvey Principal James Closing DDSD is a terrible Hearn read Green Eggs and idea, says retired DDSD teacher Peggy Collrin. Not only should it Ham to students while the Cat in not close, it needs much more the Hat made a surprise appear - support. Deaf and hard of hearing ance on a scooter. Shown above students have been siphoned off are teachers who organized the to be mainstreamed at other event: Joi Anderson, Wakieta schools. That’s something not in Winston, Lentawn Knight, and the best interest of many deaf stu - Wendy Newberry. Page 2 The Detroit Teacher April 2010 April 2010 The Detroit Teacher Page 3 SCHOOL CLOSURE Updates... PLAN COULD BE 2010 Volunteer Retirements BOBB’S FOLLY of the Year Announced Richard Berlin, secretary of the The following teachers have DFT Retirees Chapter, is being hon- announced their retirement: Annie Q. mergency Financial Manager input, and omnipotent persona. High ored April 17 by the Michigan Jacobs and James A. DelVero. If you Robert Bobb’s school closure performing schools such as McColl, Democratic Party as have retired in the last six months and Eplan, announced on March 17, CMA, and Bagley are scheduled for the 2010 Volunteer would like it announced, please call has disaster written all over it. On top closure. of the Year. Berlin, a the editor at 313-875-6776. of proposing the closure of 45 schools, High schools with deeply rooted retired Detroit more than 25 percent of the district’s neighborhood rivalries and loosely knit teacher, will be hon- Retired Guyton facilities, Mr. Bobb has pinned an inor - gang affiliations would have their stu - ored at the Jefferson- Teacher Dies dent bodies integrated, (Osborn to Jackson Day Dinner Pershing or Denby). Kettering students at Cobo Hall. Berlin, The dynamic hearse-driving Detroit President’s Report would be sent to either Southeastern Richard Berlin 66, is chairman of teacher Willard (Bill) Weitschat passed (which is already bursting at the seams) DFT President Keith Johnson joined others concerned about public educa - the Membership away March 1. He was 77. Weitschat FREEP EDITOR REMEMBERS CARSTENS or Pershing, which is miles away from tion in Lansing on March 17 for Lobby Day. Committee for the 14th Congressional purchased the used hearse to be able to For the past three years, Peter Gavrilovich (above right), former Keith the Kettering neighborhood. District. take his students on weekly field trips Carstens student and current Nation/World Editor at the Detroit Free Elementary students from He also served 18 years on the and other adventures in the 1970s. He Press, has visited the fifth-graders at Carstens Elementary School to Johnson McKenney and Holcomb would have with placement issues (remember how spiracy theory many have adopted that Michigan Democratic Party’s State was known as an teach about Detroit history. This year he invited Paul Anger, to cross major thoroughfares Seven this school year started with so many Mr. Bobb’s hidden mission was to dis - Central Committee. “I’m shocked extraordinary fifth- Publisher and Editor of the Free Press, to join him and on Feb. 1. Mr. Anger came to school and observed the first-graders in Kevin Mile and Lahser to get to the nearest teachers having no place to report mantle DPS. But the lack of logic and because I used to do a lot more,” grade teacher at Stafford's class learning about action verbs before visiting the fifth- elementary school (Charles Wright). when school opened?) that the quality consideration for the welfare of our Berlin said. Guyton Elementary graders in Elbert Bennett's class. Wright, by the way, would lose its suc - of education children in this School on Detroit’s dinate amount of the district’s long- cessful program and assume the pro - for the stu - school closure African Centered east side. term future on another bond proposal gram of Langston Hughes. dents who “You cannot cut your plan has admit - Weitschat attended that (1) hasn’t even been introduced In addition, Mr. Bobb reneged on an remain will be tedly second- Education Chapter Bill Weitschat Guyton Elementary yet, and (2) may have little (if any) assurance that the DFT would be adversely way to prosperity when guessed my Forms School, Jackson Tools to Help You chance of passing. involved in the discussions as schools affected. position, partic - Teachers from schools with African Intermediate and Southeastern High. He It is totally irresponsible for Mr. were considered for closure. Instead I can’t help ularly since he educating children.” Centered Education curricula have graduated from Wayne University with Bobb to even consider asking Detroit Mr. Bobb relied heavily upon the direc - but believe did not include formed a DFT chapter. The African a degree in education and served in the Decide When to Retire voters to consider the approval of tion of demographers and dismissed that the drastic DFT in the dis - —DFT President Keith Johnson Centered Education Chapter will meet U.S. Army. He was known for his another bond series when they have not the human, student element of consid - measures cussions. By Rufus Gaston • 30 percent for people born after 1959. on the third Thursdays of the month, bingo game using spelling words called seen the first shovel in the ground for a eration in this plan. taken by Mr. Hinging the Whiz Roll. Students who got a correct If you wait until your full retirement with the exception of April. The next hese days, everyone is taking a new school under the existing $500.5 You cannot cut your way to prosperi - Bobb will do nothing to enhance the future of DPS on the if/come of a word, instead of saying bingo, would age, your benefits will not be reduced. three meetings are set for April 22, new look at their finances — and million bond that was passed in ty when educating children. While we faith of this community in DPS. future bond passing will leave this shout, “I’m a whiz.” Winners got to And if you should choose to delay May 20 and June 17 at 4:30 p.m. at no one is looking more closely November. understand that the declining enroll - Parents are not inclined to send their community in a state of suspended ani - take as much candy as they could dig T retirement, your benefit will increase the DFT hall. than the millions of baby boomers who Mr. Bobb’s plan will likely acceler - ment necessitates the closure and con - children an additional two to seven mation. Unfortunately, by the time we with one hand out of a bag. His former up to eight percent a year from your are nearing retirement age. While some ate the exodus of students from DPS as solidation of some schools, the magni - miles to attend school when there is a wake up, Robert Bobb will be gone students said he would buy two big full retirement age until age 70. Looking for a Teacher boomers expected to retire at one of the parents become increasingly fed up tude of this plan will devastate DPS. neighboring charter closer to home.