Health

Someone Finally Was Held Responsible for the Absurd Conditions in Detroit Schools

February 2nd 2016

On Tuesday, Detroit Public Schools (DPS) emergency manager and former Flint city emergency manager, Darnell Earley, submitted his letter of resignation to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R). Darnell's departure comes after many complained about the horrific state of Detroit's public schools, which were so awful that many of the schools' teachers staged mass "sickouts" to protest the disgusting conditions. Many have called for Earley and Snyder to resign over the school conditions, as well as the ongoing water safety issue in Flint.

“Darnell has done a very good job under some very difficult circumstances," Snyder said in a news release. "I want to thank him for his professionalism and his service to the people of Michigan. He restructured a heavily bureaucratic central office, set in place operating and cost-containment measures, and has taken steps to stabilize enrollment. These factors should all set the course for a sustainable, new Detroit Community Schools, as I have proposed."

RELATED: Heartbreaking Posts Reveal the Tragedy of Detroit's Crumbling Public School System

Many, however, have been unhappy with the conditions of the Detroit Public School system, and they have taken to social media in recent weeks to share alarming photos of the schools. The DPS Facebook page has received a lot of complaints accompanied by photos as well:

 

"This is a picture of BLACK MOLD growing on the ceiling of the bathrooms at a Detroit Public School," wrote Facebook user Ramona Ransom. "This is ridiculous. This is why students are standing up and protesting these conditions! #‎dps #‎aft #‎dft

 
 

"Detroit Public Schools teachers are taking to Twitter to show the public what it really is like inside a DPS school and to insist these conditions get fixed to provide students with a safe and better learning environment," reads news site Metro Rise's Facebook post.

RELATED: The Michigan Governor Is Toast

In his resignation letter, Earley cited some of the achievements the district has seen under his watch, noting that he "worked diligently" to help eliminate the district's structural budget deficit and that school enrollment is set to stabilize in the coming years, among other things. Earley seemed to be at odds with Snyder's legislative package that proposes district restructuring.

He also said in a statement to the governor's office that his and Snyder's goal was for him to be the "last emergency manager appointed to DPS."

The crisis in Flint.

Earley is also under scrutiny over the water crisis in Flint. He has refused to testify before Congress regarding the Flint water disaster. Earley served as emergency manager of Flint from fall 2013 to January 2015, and was working as Flint's emergency manager when Flint started temporarily taking water from the Flint River, according to the Detroit Free Press. As ATTN: has noted before, Flint water filters turned up dangerously high levels of lead after Flint started using this river for water.

Some have voiced concern that Earley's resignation might shelter him from responsibility over Flint.

“For the sake of the kids, Earley needed to go, but this move should in no way allow him to dodge his responsibility to fully comply with every investigation about his role in the Flint water crisis," Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, (D-Flint) said in a Tuesday release. "The governor must demand that he testify before Congress tomorrow and be completely transparent in turning over every document related to what happened."

Ananich added that Earley's announcement was "not motivated by what is best for the children," but most interested in "saving face for the politicians who are worried about what he might reveal under oath."

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