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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

March 31 - April 6, 2010 Page D-9

Reginald Turner (left) of Clark Hill and Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager, DPS. – Monica Morgan photos

Attendees Betty Brooks (left), Barbara Mahone and Bill Brooks with Robert Bobb.

Education 911:

Top education leaders outline long-term plan to revamp DPS

By Minehaha Forman

R

obert Bobb wants a revolution. The Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manag- er’s dark suits and steadfast

manner may not be what one would expect from a leader of a revolution, but he is at the forefront of a massive and controversial metamorphosis of DPS.

“Let’s create an educational revolu-

tion,” Bobb proposed in front of more than 300 leaders in business, education, government and commu- nity at the Mi c h i g a n Chronicle’s Panc ake s & Politics

forum at the Detroit Athletic Club on Friday, March 19.

The breakfast discussion was titled

“Education 911: The Conversation Continues” and featured three of the re- gion’s education heavyweights: Wayne State University President Dr. Jay Noren, Wayne County Community Col- lege District Chancellor Dr. Curtis Ivery and Robert Bobb.

The DPS system’s $219 million

budget deficit and plummeting enroll- ment has triggered the shutdown of 64 schools over the past three years and 44 are slated to be shuttered in June. Meanwhile, the pink slips keep flutter- ing down.

Adding to the urgency, Detroit’s

public education system has become the national poster child of public edu- cation reform. “We are in the center of the solution for the entire country,” Noren noted at the forum.

Wayne State’s front man said it would

take years to achieve the goals that are set for the district paired with commu- nity-wide commitment, but he’s opti- mistic that milestones will be reached. “I’m encouraged by leaders of DPS and the Mayor Dave Bing’s interest in the schools,” he told the alert audience.

Amidst clouds of misinformation and

uncertainty, this timely forum provided a unique and refreshing venue for chief educational architects to engage in a dialogue surrounding core issues, ex- amine solutions and outline ambitious

Panelists: WCCCD Chancellor Dr. Curtis Ivery; Wayne State University Presi- dent, Dr. Jay Noren and Robert Bobb.

goals for the next five years. What Bobb calls “a roadmap for the

future” of DPS is a comprehensive five- year plan that predicts close collabora- tion between K-12 programs and local colleges and universities, a “radical” change in the way school districts are funded, a gigantic leap in graduation rates, a commitment to academic rigor with a focus on math and science, and an aggressive plan to eliminate factors that impede children’s ability to learn starting at home.

There’s no quick fix and WCCCD

Chancellor Ivery believes much of the solution lies in the culture of the com- munity rather than its institutions. “Culture trumps organization,” he said in his speech. But he stressed the im- portance of education in this transitory time between the reign of the auto in- dustry and the uncertain. “Those with an education will weather the economic storm,” he said.

Bobb, who gets as much criticism as

praise, said he appreciated the oppor- tunity to be a part of the Pancakes & Politics panel.

“It (the event) represents a cross

section of the Detroit community. In- formation shared at this event reaches hundreds of other people,” Bobb told the Michigan Chronicle. “I am able to connect with individual intellects and

share ideas. It’s also a learning experi- ence.”

“We have the desire,” Bobb confi-

dently told the attentive crowd. “What we have to do is not let anyone tell us that our kids can’t succeed. We need a revolution. We can take this to another level.”

Pancakes & Politics is a four-part

discussion series that offers a platform for the Metro Detroit region’s most prominent leaders to speak, network and share information. Developed by the Michigan Chronicle and its parent company Real Times Media, the next forum will be held April 16 and will center on Business Leaders for Michi- gan, the private, non-profit executive leadership organization dedicated to making Michigan a “Top Ten” state for job and economic growth.

The series is moderated by Carol

Cain, host of “Michigan Matters” on WWJ-TV. Title sponsors for the event include Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Strategic Staffing Solutions, PNC, UHY LLP, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, HAP, and St. John Health System. Corporate contributors are Bank of America, MGM Grand Detroit, Compuware, Fifth Third Bank, Wayne State University, Quicken Loans, and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. Media partners are WWJ-TV, WWJ News- radio 950 and Crain’s Detroit Business.

Robert Bobb with Karen Fort Hood, judge, Michigan Fist Dis- trict Court of Appeals.

Robert Bobb and Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey.

Attendee addressing follow-up questions to Steve Wasko, exec- utive director of public relations for the Detroit Public Schools.

Eleanor Josaitis, co-founder of Focus: HOPE, with panelist Dr. Jay Noren.

Sheila Cockrel, president, Crossroads Consulting, and Detroit City Councilman James Tate.

Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of Detroit Branch NAACP and pastor, Fellowship Chapel poses question to panelists.

The Michigan Chronicle kicked off the fifth season of Pancakes & Politics to a sold out crowd.

Equilla Wainwright, vice president at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, with Sam Logan, Michigan Chronicle publisher. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36