community
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE December 2-8, 2009 Page C-3
Telford’s Telescope Christmas extravganza
DPS’ Bobb making sweeping corrective inroads
The public is invited to The- ing, home security, caring for
NewMotorCity.Com’s Christ-
home plants, hair and skin
mas Extravaganza, on Satur-
treatments, custom toys for
By John Telford
blaming incompetent, classist Robert Bobb’s corrective
day, Dec. 12, at The Russell
DPS officials downtown. Case measures can restore the edu-
kids, candle making, and
Several readers of this
Bazaar, 1600 Clay at I-75, from
in point: The swimming pool cational excellence that his-
column are still asking me how
3 to 9 p.m.
much more. Local celebrities
at the now-closed old Finney torically benefited so many of
have been invited to partici-
in the world I could ever have
High building didn’t function us lucky old DPS alumni, and
There will be Christmas
pate.
“deserted” DPS to assume the
between 2001 and 2009. If my services remain available
gifts, demonstrations, a fash-
superintendency of the Madi-
the swimming pool at the new to him. He need only pick up
ion show, continuous enter-
TheNewMotorCity.Com is a
son District Public Schools
Cass Tech hadn’t functioned the phone and dial (313) 574-
tainment with karaoke. Ad- website that covers the posi-
and “steal” Detroit students
for nine days, the many col- 2767.
mission is free. Donations of
tive sides of Detroit. It reports
from my hometown. Answer:
lege-educated parents there
toys, canned goods and cloth-
Since the recent DPS leader-
would have called out the Ma-
Former DPS teacher and
only positive news and events
ingare sought to be given to
ship had repeatedly chosen
rines, the National Guard, and
executive director John Tel-
and it allows people to share
Neighborhood Service Organi-
not to avail itself of my expe-
the Royal Canadian Mounted
ford brought hundreds of DPS
zation.
their thoughts, stories and
rience and my entire range of
Police. That isn’t racism it’s
students to Madison. Get his opinions.
skills, I used those skills to
classism, and in my new book
tell-all book about DPS at
Also to be featured are
help Detroit students whom I
I cite other recent examples of
Harmonie Park Press at (586)
local designers and fashions
For more information, call
recruited to Madison.
this virulent “ism” in DPS.
979-2077.
from around the world, dem-
(313) 717-7651 or e-mail apos-
John Telford
onstrations on healthy cook-
itivedetroit@yahoo.com.
Nonetheless, had new DPS
financial manager Robert Bobb
invited me to return and help
him, I’d have come back in a
heartbeat, as I advised him
when I appeared with him on
Huel Perkins’ show on FoxTV2
last spring. Bobb is making
most of the corrective inroads
I’ve long been clamoring for.
THEPERFECT
My statements on the air
and to local newspaper report-
ers last February regarding
my intent to bring students to
Madison from DPS — which I
declared had become a “waste-
land” except for a few elite
schools — caused consider-
GIFTSALE
able squirming in the DPS
board office at the time. On
one daily Detroit newspaper’s
the best gifts for everyone on your list, including you!
website, a DPS spokesman
was quoted as saying, “DPS
officials are busy educating
students and aren’t interested
in responding to Dr. Telford’s
‘wasteland’ remark.”
I’m unsure which officials
he meant, but until Mr. Bobb’s
arrival, those in the offices
downtown hadn’t been edu-
cating anybody. Thousands
of Detroit teachers and princi-
pals have been trying to do so,
though, ongoingly — with no
meaningful support until now
from dozens of downtown of-
ficials making six-figure sala-
ries. Small wonder that these
officials weren’t “interested”
in responding. DPS’ then-an-
nounced graduation rate of 50
percent — in itself disgrace-
ful enough — had been closer
to 20 percent, with most of
that 20 percent being female.
A DPS board member did
respond to my remark, pro-
nouncing it “tasteless.” How-
ever, for a number of recent
years, the ineptness of DPS
boards has been a significant
storewide savings & values!
part of the problem.
Madison was an open en-
rollment district with a dev-
astating budgetary deficit
proportionately similar to
2O
%
–
5O
%
OFF
Detroit’s. As superintendent
there, I’d proposed to their
board that they allow me to Extra hours!
erase their deficit and create
a surplus by lifting the cap on
Shop 9am-11pm, Wed & Thurs
open enrollments in order to
offer more students a better
Shop 8am-11pm, Fri & Sat
education and also obtain
their foundation grant monies.
Rather than close schools and
lay off staff, I would thus have
plus, take an extra
been enabled to hire staff, re-
open a closed school and en-
hance programs. At a town
hall meeting at Madison High
IO%-2O% off
†
School to discuss whether to
lift the enrollment cap, some with your Macy’s Card or savings pass.
resident racists successfully
pressured the board to fire me
†EXCLUSIONS APPLY; SEE PASS FOR DETAILS
for bringing in the DPS kids,
but what hurt me the most at
that meeting was hearing a De-
troit teacher castigate me.
She had misunderstood
that I was blaming Detroit’s
teachers for creating the WOW! PASS
“wasteland,” while in fact I was
EXTRA SAVINGS ON ALL
Christmas SALE & CLEARANCE APPAREL!
EXCEPT SPECIALS & SUPER BUYS
recycling
EXTRA
drive
HolidayLEDs.com, an e-
commerce company located 2O
%
OFF
in Jackson, Michigan, and the
Potter Park Zoo in Lansing,
APPAREL FOR HIM, HER & KIDS
recently announced that they
will put on a Christmas light
PLUS FINE & FASHION JEWELRY!
recycling program during the
EXTRA 15% OFF all sale & clearance shoes, watches, coats, suits,
Zoo’s “Wonderland of Lights”
event. Participants may bring
dresses, intimates, suit separates & sportcoats for him & select home items
their old incandescent Christ-
EXTRA 10% OFF all sale & clearance electrics, furniture,
mas lights to the zoo during
mattresses & area rugs. Valid now-12/7/2009.
the “Wonderland” show and
receive a coupon for 15 per-
Excludes: specials, super buys, gift cards, previous purchases, special orders, selected
cent off
HolidayLEDs.com
Licensed depts., jewelry trunk shows, services. Cannot be combined with any savings
LED Christmas lights.
pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer except opening a new Macy’s account.
EXTRA SAVINGS % APPLIED TO REDUCED PRICES.
The recycling program will
run for the duration of the
zoo’s holiday display which
concludes on Dec. 27. The
display is open to the public
Thursday through Sunday
from 5 to 8 p.m. (except Christ-
mas Eve and Christmas Day).
Those who wish to participate
in the recycling program can
bring their old incandescent
Christmas lights to the zoo
and receive a coupon for 15
percent off
HolidayLEDs.com
Christmas lights at admission.
There is a limit of one coupon
per household.
For more information about
Potter Park Zoo or the “Won-
derland of Lights,” please visit
the zoo’s website. To learn
more about HolidayLEDs.
HOURS MAY VARY BY STORE. VISIT MACYS.COM & Yes Virginia! premiering on CBS-TV, Friday night, Dec 11 Don’t miss the season’s newest tradition
com, please visit http://www.
CLICK ON STORES FOR LOCAL INFORMATION
— the animated classic feature based on the timeless true story that inspired a whole new spirit of
believing! Check your local listings.
holidayleds.com.
THE PERFECT GIFT SALE IN EFFECT THROUGH 12/7/09.
9110491C.indd 1 11/30/09 6:15:32 PM
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