Posted on 09/25/2003 8:07:43 AM PDT by Registered
Granholm walks away from charter schools talks; teachers plan protest
By AMY F. BAILEY The Associated Press 9/25/2003, 4:29 a.m. ET
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Classes at Detroit public schools were canceled Thursday because thousands of teachers planned to gather at the state Capitol to protest a deal allowing more charter schools in Michigan.
Thursday morning's rally, organized by the Detroit Federation of Teachers, comes a day after Gov. Jennifer Granholm said she was ending negotiations on charter school expansion.
The Democratic governor said Wednesday a bill intended to reflect an agreement she reached last week with House Speaker Rick Johnson of LeRoy and Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema of Wyoming, both Republicans, includes a number of things she didn't agree to.
"There is no point in continuing these counterproductive discussions given that we are clearly far apart and have no bipartisan agreement on either the principles or their implementation," Granholm said.
Granholm's statement was released hours after Detroit Public Schools CEO Kenneth Burnley canceled Thursday classes because so many teachers planned to be gone for the protest.
Burnley said district officials wanted to let parents know in advance so they could make arrangements for their children on Thursday.
"We're also concerned about the safety and welfare of our students," he said.
School administrators reported to the district that 3,200 teachers told them they wouldn't be in school Thursday, said Mario Morrow, spokesman for Detroit Public Schools. Substitute teachers weren't responsive to the district's calls for help Thursday, he added.
The agreement reached last week would have allowed 150 new charter schools to open in Michigan over 10 years. Fifteen of those would open in Detroit. About 70,000 students now attend 202 charter schools in Michigan, according to the Michigan Association of Public School Academies.
The deal also would have returned Detroit's appointed school reform board to an elected board next summer, although it would have retained a chief executive and given the Detroit mayor the ability to reject the board's choice for CEO.
The agreement angered the Detroit Federation of Teachers, whose 12,500 members include about 8,500 teachers. The rest are social workers, counselors, nurses and other support staff.
Granholm ended negotiations on charter school expansion because a draft of the legislation included a loophole that would have allowed more charter schools than the 150 over 10 years, spokeswoman Liz Boyd said.
The bill also wouldn't have extended increased accountability measures that were part of the agreement, Boyd said.
Sikkema spokesman Bill Nowling said the legislation sent to Granholm was only the first version. Republican lawmakers wanted Granholm to respond with any concerns she had, he said.
"If there's a problem in the draft, and I will emphasize draft, this is where you deal with that," Nowling said. "You don't deal with it ... (by) saying `We're out.'
"Clearly this has soured the relationship, not only on charter schools, but other issues between the Senate and the governor's office," he added.
State Republican Chairwoman Betsy DeVos, who over the weekend criticized the job the governor has done during her nine months in office, blasted Granholm over the charter school issue.
"The governor has once again demonstrated a lack of leadership by going back on her word. ... Apparently her word is no good and no one can rely on her for anything," DeVos said.
Granholm's action came on the same day Republicans in the state Senate rejected the governor's executive order creating the new state Department of Labor and Economic Growth.
Their main objection to the order was its elimination of the Worker's Compensation Appellate Commission board largely made up of appointees of former Gov. John Engler, a Republican. Business groups oppose the new appeals process.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has asked Granholm, Sikkema and Johnson to hold off on approving the charter school legislation before city residents have a chance to weigh in on the issue. An education summit is set for Oct. 1 in Detroit to discuss charter schools and other issues.
Despite Granholm's decision, the House speaker was scheduled to meet with the governor on Thursday about the charter school measure, Johnson spokesman Matt Resch said Wednesday.
"The speaker has every intention of attending that meeting and expects the governor will finish the deal they shook hands on a week ago," Resch said.
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The charter school bill is Senate Bill 393.
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Detroit Public Schools, http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/
Detroit Federation of Teachers, http://www.dft231.com/
Michigan Legislature, http://www.michiganlegislature.org
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Which explains why half the teachers are scared to death.
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