The school board took him to court because he as Emergency Financial Manager was taking over the powers of the school board. The first judge ruled against Bobb, the second ruled for him...and he was allowed to continue closing schools and implementing the policies of Bill Gates and Eli Broad.
Now it appears that another judge has ruled for the school board and against him.
Judge: Bobb can't usurp DPS board's academic control
Robert Bobb (Max Ortiz/The Detroit News)Detroit — The Detroit Public Schools board controls the district's academics, not Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb, a judge ruled today in an opinion that found Bobb "chose to ignore the board's academic plan completely" and "failed to perform his duty to consult" with the 11-member body. Bobb's decision to make all academic, educational and social policy for the districts more than 70,000 students "runs afoul" of the legislative intent of the emergency financial manager law under which Bobb was appointed by the governor in 2009, according to Wayne Circuit Judge Wendy Baxter.
"Mr. Bobb cannot usurp the elected board's authority over academics and curriculum matters by creating his own academic system and programs under the guise of facilities or that his contract with the governor required him to march forward in this way," Baxter wrote in her 34-page opinion.
...""Clearly, this is a victory for the elected school board and for the democratic rights of the people of Detroit," said Joyce Schon, an attorney for the board. "The judge emphatically affirmed the right of the school board to determine academics and educational policy and declared that the board need not follow any orders from the EFM (Emergency Financial Manager) that involves academics or educational policy, including benchmark assessments and other academic tests."
Bobb was furious and protested the decision.
In a statement this afternoon, Bobb blasted the decision, calling it "a step backward" for the district. He pledged to appeal.
"Ironically, Judge Baxter's ruling comes a year almost to the date after the announcement that Detroit's schoolchildren ranked lowest in history on a national math test," Bobb said. "Judge Baxter's ruling is a step backward and endorses the past academic policies which, along with the financial practices and the overall direction of the school district, were a total failure.
Bobb has been working with a private group called Excellent Schools Detroit.
Private groups take power over public schools in Detroit.
Members of Excellent Schools Detroit talk about the citywide education plan Wednesday. From left, they are: New Urban Learning Founder Doug Ross, Skillman Foundation chief Carol Goss and Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager Robert Bobb. (PATRICIA BECK/Detroit Free Press)The group, calling itself Excellent Schools Detroit, announced last week that it planned to replace failing Detroit schools with 70 new ones and make a $200-million initial investment -- a plan unprecedented in scope anywhere in the country. The group has commitments from the Gates Foundation and other national groups willing to come to Detroit, said Carol Goss, CEO and president of the Skillman Foundation, a key leader in the effort.
..."As those schools close, they would be replaced by new schools paid for from $200 million in grants provided by four foundations, led by the Skillman Foundation. The education plan, "Taking Ownership: Our Pledge to Educate All of Detroit's Children," is to be released to the public today. It is full of strategies to boost student performance. These are among the key components:
• Turning over control of Detroit Public Schools to the mayor.
• Abolishing the elected school board.
• Generating public pressure on DPS and charter school operators to close failing schools or programs.
There is power and money and a governor behind Robert Bobb. Jennifer Granholm stands beside him and supports the fact that he can
override the elected school board.The Broad Foundation even pays about 59,000 with other unnamed foundations kicking in even more.
Governor Granholm and Robert BobbBobb is the only defendant in the complaint in Wayne County Court, Detroit. The board, two community groups and 26 people say the Los Angeles-based Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, which "aggressively promotes the spread of charter schools nationwide," pays Bobb $56,000, with the remaining $89,000 coming from "undisclosed private sources. Last year Bobb made $84,000 in such "supplemental compensation."
..."As proof that the Broad Foundation expects something for its money, the plaintiffs cite a 2009 Wall Street Journal article in which Eli Broad said he was in the "venture philanthropy business."
"Because Bobb has sole and virtually unreviewable control over the $1.4 billion DPS budget, it is especially dangerous to allow the Broad Foundation and similar 'venture philanthropists' to fund one-third of his salary," the complaint states.
The Broad Foundation disagrees. The foundation gave Bobb the money at the request of Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and it "comes without requirement or restriction," Broad spokeswoman Erica Lepping said in an e-mail.
Gates, Eli Broad, and The Skillman Foundation, and the governor. I imagine another appeal of this verdict will be soon. I imagine it won't be long before once again the decision for the school board and against Bobb will see the fate of the first verdict...it will likely be overturned.
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