Those for and against the return of mayoral control to Detroit’s schools will appear today before the City Council in an effort to plead their cases, The Detroit News reports.
A group of community activists says it has gathered more than 30,000 signatures to present to the city council, asking the council to pass a resolution that would put the issue on the November ballot.
Mayoral control, however, would require more than just a vote from Detroit residents—state law would also have to change to allow the new governance structure that would abolish the city’s 11-member board.
Members of the school board are vigorously fighting back and also plan to attend today’s city council meeting.
Meanwhile, no one filed for election for either of the two seats on the school board up for election this fall, meaning a write-in candidate would win. One of those seats belongs to the board’s president, Anthony Adams, who told The News he had a business venture that needed his focus.
“There’s been so much talk generated around the board, I would have thought there would be some interest,” he told The News. “But there is a tremendous commitment of time and effort, and given the issues, one must be really committed to see them through. ... I wanted to be free of having to run for office.”
Considering the national headlines involving Detroit’s school board in the past year and the uncertainty of the governance structure, it may be no surprise that Motor City residents didn’t line up around the block to file for office like those in Kansas City did for that school board election.