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DETROIT NATIVE SUN
DETROIT NATIVE SUN
By Valerie D. Lockhart
SUN EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Detroit Public Schools Community District, the state’s largest school district has been cited for its special education program not following Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education’s requirements. The district had until December 1 to correct violations and submit a corrective action plan.
The district is also not in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law that makes available free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. It also violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
Over 7,800 students are enrolled in DPSCD’s Special Education Program. The Exceptional Student Education program oversees services offered in six center-based facilities – Charles R. Drew Transition Center, Essential Skills Transition Program at Diann Banks, Jerry L. White Center, Keidan Special Education Center, Moses Field Center, and Turning Point Academy at Fleming.
Violations cited include failure to perform or follow Individualized Education Program (IEP) evaluations, students not being put in their proper placement, and students not receiving specialized services such as physical, speech, and occupational therapy.
Aliyah Moore, an education activist and parent, has been requesting services listed in her daughter’s IEP be provided since the beginning of the school year. The district is required respond within 15 days of the request.
“(My daughter) was feeling overwhelmed, especially with history, note-taking, and math. Her basic accommodation wasn’t happening until I sent an email to the head of the ESE department and compliance. Her resource teacher is still not doing what she should, but they have set up a Microsoft Teams meeting with me on Dec.2,” she said .
In the 2023-2024 school year, the district spent $41 million on special education which included $28M taken from the general fund.
The district currently spends $49 million on special education services.
Possible penalties that could be imposed on the district for continual non-compliance include losing federal funding and facing lawsuits from parents.
Several lawsuits have already been filed on behalf of parents against the district for abuse and neglect of special education students.
Spectrum Legal Services, 24100 Southfield Road, Suite 203 in Southfield, MI, is handling the complaints. They have received calls from over 25 families seeking assistance .
“If the district continues to violate the rights of children with special needs, we will consider filing a class action lawsuit on their behalf,” Attorney Michael Fortner, a civil rights attorney, said. “We’re the voice for children who are unable to speak. All children deserve the right to an education.”
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can also impose sanctions if the district is unable to show that corrective action has been taken.
“OCR may: (1) initiate administrative proceedings to terminate Department of Education financial assistance to the recipient; or (2) refer the case to the Department of Justice for judicial proceedings,” the DOE notes on its website.
DPSCD blames its failure to comply with a personnel shortage.
“There is a national critical shortage impacting our ability to provide continuous specialized services in select areas to students requiring school-based ancillary support. School districts nationwide report challenges recruiting and hiring support services, including school social workers, school psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists,” Lohren Nzoma, Assistant Superintendent Office of Exceptional Student Education, wrote in a letter initially dated November 17, 2023, and re-communicated on January 25, 2024, to parents.
The same letter states that a meeting with parents was reportedly held on February 24, 2023, on Microsoft Teams. Yet, there is a conflict in the dates of communication, and no mention of such letter nor the violations during any of the Detroit School Board’s open session meetings.
The district has reportedly been in non-compliance since Dr. Nikolai Vitti took office as superintendent in 2017. He says that its failure to comply is due to insufficient funding.
“Despite increases in Special Education funding, DPSCD will still have to use $28M from the general fund to cover Special Education costs this fiscal year not covered by local, county, state, or federal categorical funds. This translates into a tax on general education students of approximately $620/student,” Dr. Vitti wrote in a letter dated September 26, 2023, to Gov. Governor Gretchen Whitmer; Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist; and other political leaders.
“Excuses will no longer be tolerated,” Fortner said. “The district has had since 2017 to correct the problem, and they’re still not in compliance. They fire whistleblowers who speak out, so the abuse and neglect continue. It’s past time for the state to stop putting the district in time out and to hit them where it hurts – their pockets. If the money is not being spent on the children, where is it going? Follow the money and it will lead you to the real culprits.”
To join a potential class action lawsuit, parents should call (248) 538-7200.
Democratic women legislators forge historic resistance
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In a historic shift following the 2024 elections, a record-breaking number of Democratic women will serve in state legislatures starting in 2025, solidifying state-level Democratic power amid a looming federal Republican trifecta under the incoming Trump administration. The legislators, many in leadership roles, will spearhead resistance efforts while shaping the Democratic Party’s future leadership pipeline.
State legislatures, widely recognized as the bedrock of American governance, now host 1,584 Democratic women lawmakers, outnumbering their Republican counterparts by nearly two-to-one. Women will hold roughly one-third of legislative seats nationwide, with at least 19 states increasing the total representation of women. The milestone marks a stark contrast to Congress, where the number of women legislators has declined for the first time since 2016.
Notably, Democratic women will serve as House speakers in eight states, including Hawaii, which will see its first woman in this role. Additionally, for the first time in U.S. history, three states will boast majority-women Democratic legislatures. Nearly 100 women will hold senior leadership positions, emphasizing their growing influence on state-level governance.
Officials said the victories reflect the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee’s (DLCC) commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within state governments. The DLCC said it repeatedly has underscored the importance of electing women to counter the incoming administration’s policies, which critics warn could jeopardize economic opportunities, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections, education, and climate progress under Project 2025.
“Electing a record number of women to state legislatures couldn’t come at a more impactful time,” said DLCC Interim Communications Director Sam Paisley. “Project 2025 and the incoming Trump administration dangerously target women and minorities, and states will represent the most powerful counterbalance to stop the MAGA hate from becoming the law of the land. Women deserve a seat at the table at all levels of government, and their growing numbers in state legislatures will impact policy today while building a strong pipeline of future leaders.”
With Democratic women now leading in eight state Houses and holding pivotal roles in nearly 100 legislative leadership positions, the DLCC said it plans to leverage their presence as a critical firewall against what it describes as threats posed by a federal GOP-dominated government.
“The work we’ve done ensures a powerful and diverse firewall is present in the states,” Paisley added.
DPSCD's Special Education cited for non-compliance, facing loss of funding
and lawsuits for neglect and abuse complaints
Mold found in DPSCD school housing medically fragile students, parents question district's transparency
Students at Moses Field School were dismissed a week early for winter break due to the mold found in the building.
Officials from the Detroit Public Schools Community District deny claims of black mold being found in the building that is home to about 66 medically fragile and disabled students.
“Third-party Environmental testing showed no black mold at Moses Field. The district conducts environmental testing at schools after construction work,” Chrystal Wilson, Assistant Superintendent of Communications and Marketing, said. “That testing revealed higher levels of mold (other than black mold) than outside the building in select rooms. After mitigation, mold levels continued to be higher than outside in different rooms. There were no required health or environmental mandates to close the school. Instead, after a transparent conversation with staff about the results, we agreed that it was best to thoroughly clean vents before the break, so these concerns are eliminated when students and staff return in January.”
Workers from Amistee Air Duct Cleaning & Insulation arrived at the school on Monday to clean the duct system. The job is expected to be completed by Tuesday at 5 pm.
“We clean it from top to bottom. We have one person working on one side and another person working on the other side,” Kyle Boynton, an Amistee worker, said. “Yesterday, we had about eight people working. We worked from 8 am to 6 or 6:30 pm.”
Amistee was contracted by 360 Fire & Flood, after an evaluation conducted on Dec. 13 revealed mold. The district did not provide a copy of the report.
“We were called to clean five air handling units and perform a complete duct cleaning,” Donna Stone, an Amistee employee, said. “We will disinfect the duct work that will kill any bacteria and cells running through the duct work.”
Parents received a robocall from the district stating the school is closed this week for a “deep cleansing.” They were not informed of the reason for the cleaning.
“I’m extremely disappointed with the lack of transparency,” a parent of a medically fragile student said. “I’m taking my child to the doctor to have her checked out.”
The Center for Disease Control warns, "For some people, mold can cause a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or skin rash. People with asthma or who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung disease may get infections in their lungs from mold. For people who are sensitive to molds, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin."
Moses Field has been at the center of several lawsuits against the district for neglect and abuse of students.
Michael Fortner, lead attorney at Spectrum Legal Services, has filed several complaints against the district.
“This is another example of how the district tries to cover up wrongdoing,” Fortner said. “Parents can contact my office at (248)432-7436. We will continue to serve as the voice for those unable to speak.”
