In the fifth of seven public hearings, the NAACP Task Force, the Detroit branch of the NAACP and the Michigan State Conference held a hearing on Wednesday to discuss the state of quality education and issues surrounding new education policy authored by the Trump administration.
At the hearing, moderated by Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, the public, panelists and Task Force members discussed their concerns surrounding new education policy being rolled out under the Trump administration were the focus.
Panelist guests included Tonya Allen, President & CEO, Skillman Foundation; Co-Chair, Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, Alycia Meriweather, Interim Superintendent, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Ivy Bailey, President, Detroit Federation of Teachers and more.
The NAACP Task Force plans to comb through every comment, suggestion and question posed at the hearing to produce legislative recommendations to improve the quality of education in this country.
The hearing comes after United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, a long advocate of schools of choice, charter schools and voucher programs, promises to overhaul education in the U.S. and many question her ability to address the growing needs that permeate the country’s public education system. DeVos believes the school of choice option is a great alternative to public education, but many are concerned about just how the presence of school of choice and charter schools without transparency will affect underfunded schools in the communities they serve.
These new policies, NAACP Board Chairman Leon W. Russell believes will disproportionately affect communities of color in ways that may potentially lead to even worse conditions than those that exist today.
“The issue of public education’s quality and sustainability are issues the African-American community can only ignore at its own peril. The issues of charter schools and privatization require a sound analysis regarding their potentially positive or negative impact on public education and this is what these hearings are about,” said Chairman Russell.
NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks believes DeVos’ plans will not make the quality of education in this country better, but instead worse.
“We can learn a lot about what a national agenda on education policy from the Dept. of Education might look like by looking at Detroit,” said Brooks. “As we look at the problematic issues facing public education in Detroit due in large part to the advocates of privatization, we realize the extent to which we must remain vigilant regarding any potentially dangerous national policies coming from Sec. Betsy DeVos or out of the Dept. of Education that favor unproven strategies threatening the stability of our education system,” said President Brooks.
Funding education in the United States, Alycia Meriweather DPSCD Interim Superintendent believes should not be viewed as one size all. Meriweather hopes that the districts that need more funding actually receive it. This disparity, she said most negatively affects poor communities and is the cause of lack of opportunity.
“There are things within the system that doesn’t work, but there are people in the system that do work. Either we’re going to invest now or we’re going to pay later. The best investment is now. There is not an achievement gap, but an opportunity gap. The issue of poverty cannot be ignored. In the city of Detroit, 60% of children are living below the poverty line,” Meriweather said
“When partners come along beside education, that’s where you see progress in education. When we talk about quality education, we’re talking about high quality and equitable education.”
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