Another Body Blow for Detroit - Over 5,000 Teachers Get Layoff Notices

The emergency manager appointed to put Detroit’s troubled public school system on a firmer financial footing plans to send layoff notices to all of the district’s 5,466 unionized employees.

In a statement posted on the website of Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, the district’s temporary head, said notices were being sent to every member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers “in anticipation of a workforce reduction to match the district’s declining student enrollment.”

Bobb said nearly 250 administrators were receiving the notices, too.

The district is unlikely to eliminate all the teachers. Last year, it sent out 2,000 notices and only a fraction of employees were actually laid off. But the notices are required by the union’s current contract with the district. Any layoffs under this latest action won’t take effect until late July.

In the meantime, Bobb said that he planned to exercise his power as emergency manager to unilaterally modify the district’s collective bargaining agreement with the Federation of Teachers starting May 17, 2011.

Under a law known as Public Act 4, passed by the Michigan legislature and signed by the state’s new Republican governor in March, emergency managers like Bobb have sweeping powers. They can tear up existing union contracts, and even fire some elected officials, if they believe it will help solve a financial emergency.

Robert Bobb

“I fully intend to use the authority that was granted under Public Act 4,” Bobb said in the statement.

He was appointed emergency financial manager for Detroit’s schools two years ago by then-Governor Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, to close chronic budget deficits brought on by declining enrollment. Over just the past year, Detroit’s population has dropped 25 percent, according to census data.

Bobb has closed schools, laid off workers and taken other steps to cut spending but the district still faces a $327 million deficit in its $994 million budget.

---

Soulclap to Black Politics on the Web via Reuters

Birth of the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce

I lived in Detroit for eight (8) years. In many respects it is my favorite American city. As such, I have been very frustrated with the continual bad news that has been coming from the city in recent years. The tide may be turning.

I was smiling from ear-to-ear when I saw the Super Bowl commercial that starred the city of Detroit.





The good news continues this week with an announcement that Black business leaders in Michigan have come together to combat the challenged Michigan economy for African American businesses by establishing the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC).

MBCC's new board was sworn-in on February 9th by the Honorable Craig Strong, Judge of Wayne County 3rd District Court. The new board members are William Brooks (Chairman), Charlie Beckham (Chairman Elect), Ken Harris (President/CEO), Pamela Rodgers (Vice President), Wayne Phillips (Treasurer), Reuben Munday (Secretary), Louis Green (State Advisor), Rod Rickman (National Advisor), Douglass Diggs, Natalie King, Mark Douglas, Dennis Archer, Jr., Dr. Geneva Williams, Cheryl Richardson, Hiram Jackson, Robert Chavis, Andrew G. McLemore, Jr., T. A. El Amin, Rumia Burbank, Eric Hardy and David Burnley.

The MBCC is Michigan's first statewide Black chamber of commerce. The Black chamber's creation is the culmination of efforts by a network of business organizations called the African American Business Alliance. In 2010, the Alliance refocused its advocacy efforts to establish and transition into the first African American statewide business organization – the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce.

According to Ken Harris, the chamber's president and CEO, "The Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce will aggressively advocate for the economic gardening, growth and capacity building of Michigan Black-owned businesses. As a mission-based member driven organization, the Black chamber will provide quality resources, benefits, services and access needed to help stimulate economic viability throughout Michigan. Our efforts will nurture an environment of economic parity helping Black businesses to expand and create jobs, jobs, jobs in the community."

Wordless Wednesday: Barack Obama Commencement Speech at Kalamazoo Central High School

Most Dangerous States in America

Most of the time we don't bother to let facts get in the way of our stereotypes. One stereotype that is reinforced regularly in America is that Black people are dangerous. So, I read with interest the results of 2007 survey listing the most dangerous states in America. The top three dangerous states in the survey are:

1. Nevada
   
2. New Mexico
   
3. Arizona

Nevada, with its casinos and nightlife, was rated as the most dangerous state for the fourth consecutive year, followed by New Mexico. Not many nubians living in those three states.

The governor of New Mexico is running for president. I wonder what he has to say about being the leader of the 2nd most dangerous state in the country?

My current home state is Ohio. We ranked in the middle of the pack at #23 on the list. Among neighboring states, Michigan is the most dangerous at 11th, while Indiana was the 25th most dangerous state, Pennsylvania was 26th and Kentucky came in at 34th.

What do you think ... do lists such as this mean very much in the scheme of things? Care to comment on where your favorite state ranked on this list?