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Detroit Board of Education Terminates Superintendent Calloway

by Donna Gundle-Krieg Note: to comment on this and other education articles, go to Examiner.com

The Detroit Public Schools Board of Education voted 7-4 tonight to fire Superintendent Connie Calloway after she was on the job for only 18 months.

Calloway can contest the termination within 15 days by requesting a hearing, and is very likely to sue the district. "It was an unjust decision," she said.

The board has now fired two superintendents in the three years since it took office following an earlier period of state oversight. Since 1989, eight educators have directed DPS, averaging a littler more than two years per person. 

This high turnover makes is obvious that the incompetence lies with the Detroit Public School Board who hires and then continues to fire these leaders.

For example, this morning, I heard an interview with board member Jimmy Womack on WWJ AM 950. He said that he never thought the board should have hired Calloway, but that as president of the board, he "abstained" from voting when she was hired because he felt that he had to support his fellow board members.

HUH? You are a school board president and you don't believe in the new superintendent that is being hired, but you abstain from voting to support your fellow board members? Will someone please enlighten me as to why Womack has now been elected a state representative?

Also, why wouldn't the school board listen to the leaders of several school unions and community groups, who asked the board earlier in the day to cancel the vote and keep Calloway on board? These groups included New Detroit., United Way, Skillman Foundation, Detroit Urban League, Detroit Parent Network, and the unions that represent engineers and secretarial employees.

Those voting to fire Calloway were Joyce Hayes-Giles, Reverend David Murray, Ida Short, Marie Thornton, Jimmy Womack, Annie Carter and Tyrone Winfrey. Voting no were: Carla Scott, Otis Mathis, Terry Catchings and Marvis Cofield.

One major board complaint was that Calloway and her team originally reported a fund surplus for the current fiscal year, but later returned with a proposed budget indicating a $408 million deficit.

General Counsel Teresa Gueyser will serve as chief administrator while an interim superintendent is sought.

For more information on the background of this firing and on the current financial crises of the Detroit Schools, go to “Will Detroit Schools Superintendent be fired tonight?"

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