It's no secret that the Detroit school district has struggled for years now with a shortage of funds. In fact, that may be quite an understatement.
So, with that being said, voters might want to elect school board members who know how to handle finances. There are 63 candidates and the top seven will win board seats.
A consortium of reporters from local media outlets reports:
More than half of the candidates competing to lead the financially fragile Detroit public school district have filed for bankruptcy, or have had a foreclosure or an eviction, or have lost a lawsuit over unpaid bills, a local media partnership investigation shows.
The stakes for the Detroit Public Schools Community District are high. Leaders statewide will be watching the Nov. 8 election closely because, just five months ago, the Legislature approved a historic $617-million financial restructuring plan for the district, which was on the verge of running out of money. The election comes as Detroit emerges from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Many leaders insist that a strong public school system is imperative to the city's future.
Specifically, the reporters found:
- 12 candidates filed for bankruptcy.
- 13 candidates lost properties for failing to pay taxes or mortgages, or are facing liens for unpaid income taxes.
- 28 candidates were sued for unpaid bills and defaulted or agreed to make payments.
And oh yes, while none had criminal records, one of them, Ryan Townsend was twice ticketed for soliciting prostitution. He works as a teachers aide at the Trix Performance Academy, a Detroit charter school.
The story is a collaboration among reporters Jennifer Dixon, Kristi Tanner, John Wisely and Ann Zaniewski of the Detroit Free Press; M.L. Elrick of Fox2 Detroit; Chastity Pratt Dawsey of Bridge Magazine and Sascha Raiyn of WDET Detroit Public Radio.
