My Perspective: Detroit Needs A School Board With Marie Thornton

On Tuesday, Detroiters went to the polls and voted for 8 people to advance to the General Election to compete for 4 seats for Detroit’s School Board. Now many newspapers and organizations didn’t endorse people for School Board and even some people said we need change while other people said don’t vote for School Board. Well it is clear that we don’t know what the powers of the School Board will be next year since State appointed Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb only has a one-year contract to manage DPS’s finances that ends next March. That is why a lot of uncertain is taking place as to why even elect a school board that could be dismantled at the end of Bobb’s term or better yet be under mayoral control.

Still we as Detroiter’s need to understand that education is the key to the future and we do need change on Detroit’s new school board but that change must also accompany keeping Marie Thornton on the board. I understand fully that some people don’t like Marie’s tactics of getting the job done but she is passionate about making sure DPS isn’t taking over by the state and for the last 4 years Marie is only school board who has challenged the board’s methods and even superintendent’s methods in terms of spending and academics. In fact Marie Thornton has been placed on censor several times for revealing information about contracts and back room deals the board has made with companies as well as abuses and misuses of millions of billions of DPS funds.

So after Tuesday’s results, it is clear that Marie Thornton is in endanger of not making the cut come November because she finished in 7th place out 8 that go on to the General election. If this happens come November than we the people of the Detroit will lose our only voice on Detroit’s School Board. We will our only common sense board member who sees a rat a mile away. Detroit we will be blind if we allow the likes of incumbents like Ida Short, Reverend David Murray and Margaret Betts to get back up along with Lamar Lemmons because than that will be the nail in the coffin of anyone taking up for our youth. Marie Thornton needs our help people because through all the censorships, all the political bias and even attacks on her life from those who sit on the board and even those who used to sit on the board, Marie Thornton has continued to be an advocate for us the people of Detroit.

Marie Thornton has continued to tell us the people about the fraud and abuse that DPS has been doing and we need to award her people. Marie Thornton stood with us when the state took us over in 1998 and has continued to believe in Detroit Public Schools while many currently on the Board of Education are out to dismantle DPS because they came from charter schools and want to increase their enrollment in charter schools by breaking DPS’s backs. Well that isn’t hard and hasn’t been hard since our Board of Education has not stood up to any superintendent and has not come up with any type of academic plan since we got our right to school board back. Detroit we can’t allow people to get re-elected to school board who haven’t stood up for anything but the status quo that has ruined our district.

Let’s be real people, all the stuff that Robert Bobb has found in terms of fraud and mismanagement of funds, Marie has told us about on at community meetings, through newspaper interviews and even on some radio shows. However we as the citizens of Detroit ignored her comments, her viewpoints and even thought she was extreme because that’s how many people have characterized her but Marie’s tactics might be extreme but that’s what you do when you are in the minority on a School Board that isn’t looking out for the best interest of our youth but rather in the best interest of how they can make a buck on the side. Let’s be real people, Marie Thornton is the only incumbent running for Detroit School Board that has challenged Robert Bobb, Connie Calloway, Kenneth Burnley, and William Coleman. Marie Thornton is the only Board member that voted against giving Compuware any contract with the board and fought to get rid of Compuware until Robert Bobb recently brought them back. Marie Thornton is the only Board member that fought against Armark and its handling of food services for the board while all the other board members have continuously supported Armark time and time again.

Detroit, we need a school board and a school board without Marie Thornton is a voiceless board. We can’t allow our school board to lose its voice because Marie Thornton is the only board advocate for the people. Marie isn’t looking for fame or fortune and she isn’t looking to run for another political office like many of the current members on the board are or even some who advanced to the top 8 are trying to do. Marie is a proud Detroiter and she cares about the kids. She is approachable and she understands the meaning of fiscal responsibility which our current board knows nothing about. Marie has practiced fiscal responsibility when voting on any contract that comes across the board’s desk. Marie only voted for contracts that made sense and that were beneficial to the children of Detroit Public Schools while other board members just voted for contractors that gave their friends money or helped their political campaign funds.

Enough is enough Detroit; we have 3 months to make sure that we don’t lose our voice on Detroit’s School Board. We have to make sure that as long as we have a right to elect a school board, we have a voice on the school board that will speak for us, that will give us the people the information that other members of the Detroit Board of Education wont’ give us and that Detroit Public Schools wants to keep secret. Marie is in the minority but we need Marie Thornton back on the Detroit Board of Education and we need to get rid of the likes of Reverend David Murray and Ida Short for sure. We don’t need complacent people any longer on the board who don’t stand up for our children and who don’t practice fiscal responsibility. We need to change people and now is the time to do so but getting rid of Marie Thornton is not the change we need unless we replace her with someone who will do the same things that she did.

I’m not completely sold that others will do what Marie has done for us the people but I do believe other people like Carol Banks would be great board members but Banks tactics will not be as extreme as Thornton’s which is needed. So having Banks along with Thornton on the board will keep a people fighter in the room with the devious board members while Marie leaks valuable information and back room deals to us the public while Banks tries to pursue some of the devious board members to change their ways. Still we need Thornton back on the Board of Education but we need allies to accompany her. Marie Thornton can’t do it alone any longer and it is clear because for 4 years she has done it alone. We need to give her assets to deal with the board such as Carol Banks and Deborah Davis who together with Thornton can keep the heat on our Board of Education to do what’s right for us the people.

Detroit needs a School Board, no if’s, in’s or but’s about it but our school board must have Marie Thornton it. Marie is a voice for the people and she stands by the people no matter what. Marie cares about your children and she cares about making Detroit Public Schools not only viable but stronger. Marie believes in public education and believes that Detroit needs a public education system with a school board. Most people might label Marie as anti-charter but Marie isn’t anti-charter but she is anti-destroying DPS to pave the way for charters. Marie wants us to fix and improve DPS before we just open up charters any and everywhere across Detroit which seems like is about to take place with Bobb pushing for 4 management companies to be over nearly all of our high schools in Detroit and Detroit no longer being a first class school district. Marie Thornton has to get re-elected to school board and I am going to do everything I can for the next 3 months to help her get re-elected because she is the only voice that Detroit has on the School Board. Marie is fearless and isn’t afraid to speak her mind and express her distaste with things that seem popular but is actually in the bad interest of Detroit Public Schools.

So on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, Detroit let’s make sure we re-elect Marie Thornton to Detroit School Board because she is a voice for the people and stands by the people. This is our School Board’s only hope and our last stand when all else fails us. Marie Thornton never fails us the people, just do your research and find out the truth. Marie only takes her $20 per board meeting stipend and nothing else from the district. Do your homework and I guarantee that Marie Thornton is truly an advocate for our children in Detroit Public Schools while others aren’t? Marie is our last stand and only hope on Detroit’s School Board right now so we have to make sure she gets re-elected along with a new batch of others who will back Marie.