DPSCD REGULAR BOARD MEETING

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Here’s the information on how to join the meeting virtually or in person, and how to participate in public comment: https://www.detroitk12.org/boardmeeting

Tonight’s agenda can be found here on BoardDocs: https://go.boarddocs.com/mi/detroit/Board.nsf/Public

The meeting has begun and kicks off with a student presentation of the national anthem.

The agenda and minutes from last month’s meeting have been approved.

Next up is Item 5. Chair’s Remarks.

Re: safe sanctuary school district resolution, board member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo reiterates that the board stands with Western and Southwest Detroit community, but senate and representatives have legislative power.

Chair states that the district is a sanctuary district and committed to protecting the rights of all students to have access to free public education regardless of immigration status.

Next up is the financial report.

Expenditures are coming in slightly above forecast - due to programs and an incentive program, and increased cost of supplies and textbooks.

Next up is the Student Report with Mi’Kah West and Naomi Babatunde.

They have just completed the process of selecting new student board members.

Gay-Dagnogo asks the student board members what the board can do to be more inclusive to young students.

Mi’Kah West recommends getting students started learning about the board in elementary and middle school.

cont. - Expand student leadership across the district - be more involved with all grade levels to let them know what the district is and what the board does.

There were over 40 applicants for the positions on the student board.

Next up is item 9. Superintendent’s Report

The first section of his report is for Recognitions.

The first group of students passed the written portion of the FAA Private Pilots Examination - the first time this achievement has been made since 2013.

149 students in a cohort earned a “Michigan Skill of Biliteracy” for mastering multiple languages.

Next up are Metrics on the district as part of Dr. Vitti’s report

Average daily attendance increased by 2%.

MSTEP data looks favorable compared to last year - Literacy and Math.

63% of juniors and seniors enrolled in college level classes.

They are looking to be fully staffed by the fall.

Title 9 - increase in parent concern about handling Title 9 issues. Despite the gov. moving away from Title 9, the district has maintained its commitment to their Title 9 team and will be adding another member.

Issues related to PTAs throughout the district - PTA was removed from schools under emergency management and was brought back by the board. Before pandemic almost every school had a PTA. PTA is a separate organization from the district, individuals are elected.

People email the board with PTA issues, but it is a separate body. There are so many complaints it is becoming a distraction.

Vitti says that it is clear that the district continues to improve.

Board members discuss how much scholarship money has been awarded, announced at the various graduation ceremonies they attended.

Graduation rate is close to the state average which is 82% - numbers are still being calculated with summer school graduations.

Board member Taylor advocates for clarity around graduation rates - to have separate percentages, including and not including students who get certificates as opposed to diplomas (which are often special needs)

cont. DPSCD graduation rates are skewed because of the higher percentage of special needs students in the district.

Gay-Dagnogo asks Dr. Vitti how we will tell the district’s stories of success better.

Vitti says they will do a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) of their marketing. He agrees they are not promoting the district enough.

Gay-Dagnogo makes the point that the district needs to be timely in sending out media information and press releases - does not want to hear another mayoral candidate say that DPSCD student can’t read.

Monique Bryant requests a breakdown of Title 9 incidents so they have the ability to curb these situations.

Is frustrated by the PTA situation - PTAs are only official when they have standards of affiliation. One school has had an election process hijacked with several violations.

Dr. Vitti said the Michigan PTA president is visiting the school she mentioned that is having election issues.

Dr. Vitti is frustrated with the PTA statewide and locally. Needs more training, monitoring, problem solving.

The board has options such as removal, creating their own version. Not legally able to remove members.

Vitti suggests that board should meet with PTA president when he visits this month and lay out their concerns.

Board member Dr. Carol Simmons Short remarks that there isn’t enough awareness of what Drew Transition Center is doing - they have a coffee shop, sell spices, flowers, and lettuce. In terms of marketing, this school specifically needs to be highlighted.

Board member LaTrice McClendon would like a list of schools and their specialties - they need to be better at telling people what their schools offer.

How will parents know that the changes to the ESC program is changing?

Vitti clarifies that “Certificate of Completion” students are based on evaluations/IQ scores, falling below the threshold, 4% of students cannot be considered as a graduate, reduces their graduation rate by 4%.

Chair Vaughn asks about students who don’t get diplomas - is this our district’s policy, is it a state law?

Vitti confirms that it is state wide and federal - as the student goes through the evaluation process, in MI it’s called Certificate of Completion.

cont. Expectation isn’t lowered, it’s aligned with their disability.

Would a personalized curriculum be an alternative?

No, this is for a IEP student who is on track to getting a standard diploma.

Vitti on marketing - has been putting extra dollars into application schools, not strong enough at promoting career academies. Have improved the website, done videos about specific schools, but more can be done. Suggests digging into regular print marketing such as fliers, knocking on doors.

Next up is Item 10. Administrative Action Items
There is a ton of enthusiasm for the passing of item 10.02 - they are thanking Scott Benson, Gabriela Santiago Romero for pushing the resolution forward at Detroit City Council.

Item 11 - Consent Agenda.

These items have gone through committees - all are approved.

Item 12 - Policies

Peterson-Mayberry wants more clarification on the Volunteering section, the language is not clear on how long after a volunteer is removed that they can be reconsidered and what that process is.

Next up is Public Comment

Chair Vaughn states that there are a lot of commenters and suggests that if they have similar comments they can form a group and appoint one commenter to speak for everyone, with 6 minutes instead of 3.

There is some dissent in the audience.

1. A teacher for 20+ years with the district. Has endured bullying from her principal for over a decade. Says the board is turning a blind eye to the situation.

1. Instructor at one of the technical high schools. They need to have a highly specialized knowledge, use specialized tools, ability to work with students and other instructors. They need to be recognized and compensated for their specialties.

1. Had issues with GSRP - saw a teacher put their hands on a child. Confronted the parent - was bullied by employees and principal at the school. Was pushed out of the district - was jus speaking up for kids who couldn’t speak up for themselves. Was put in “teacher jail.”

1. Schulze Academy - 11 people were notified that they no longer have a job in the building. They were asked to transfer to a new placement. This would cause 40 students to be in a class.

1. Program manager at Randolph Technical Center. Is there funding available for instructors to go through teacher certification? As a military vet and skilled professional, would like minimum salary range compared to other districts?

1. Gentrification is causing a technical school closing on the East side. We are not promoting our programs, we’re doing a disservice to our residents. Most careers are technology based. They are spending millions on culinary, but technology is more in demand.

1. SW Detroit resident and English teacher for newcomers (in the country for three years or less). Four students were stopped by the police driving to a field trip - one student is currently in prison, may be deported. Asks board to make a statement to demand ICE remove him from custody.

There is continued applause following the previous commenter.

1. Parent of student at Davis Technical High School. Appreciates the resources available to their child. Likes that the principal greets students every morning. Staff is very supportive. Thanks the board and Dr. Vitti.

1. Mother Helen Moore. “Keep the Vote, No takeover” - 11% of our children can read. We can’t pretend that we’re delivering a good education. We can’t keep pretending. She wants to meet with Dr. Vitti and the board with her group.

1. Need to get Michael released from detention and back in Detroit (previous commenter mentioned him being detained by ICE). Will help fund this if anyone gets in trouble.

Gay-Dagnogo wants to make sure they have the contact information from the last commenter.

1. Organizer with BAMN - By Any Means Necessary - one of your students is being detained by ICE. Response by Vitti is gross. ICE is acting as Trump’s gestapo. Demand his immediate release now. Period. Ann Arbor organizes when this happens. Make a statement. https://www.chalkbeat.org/detroit/2025/06/09/detroit-teen-fights-to-stay-in-us-to-finish-high-school/

1. The next commenter addresses the board in Spanish - her translator follows.

Is here to provide help to Maykol Bogoya-Duarte (previously mispelled as Michael). Asks the board for help and support.

1. Wants the board to respond after a judge has confirmed that he has been discriminated against and suspended for six months. Judge saw through all of the inconsistencies in falsified evidence.

1. Teacher leader in newcomer program at elementary school in SW Detroit. Maykol Bogoya-Duarte has three credits left to graduate. Is being held in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana and facing deportation. Imperative that board of education speak up specifically in favor of Maykol’s release.

1. cont. There’s a feeling of fear and trepidation, even with the youngest students. Reach out to Shri Thanadar about this.

1. Thank you for Davis Aerospace returning to the airport.

If there is one measles case it can affect 16 people.

Praying about deportation situation - right now it’s a specific community, tomorrow it could be any of us.

If you’re being bullied by a principal, you have a lawsuit.

1. ESL/ELA teacher

English Language Acquisition should remain a priority. Has recently faced restrictions on being used audiobooks, images, and other accommodations. Is not seeing that money is behind used appropriately - could hire more ESL teachers, ESL certification.

1. cont. Maybe fi Maykol had been given the opportunity to learn English he wouldn’t have been captured by ICE and detained.

1. ESE program - has daughter who is non verbal, has autism, has been transferred to a new school three times, doesn’t find out until the school year starts. The transitions are hard for her. There is a K-12 school - used to have ESE, bring it back. When her daughter has consistency she thrives.

1. 482Forward Organizer - supporter of Maykol. ICE’s tactics have increased. Asks the board to publicly condemn his deportation. Stand up like boards in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities have done.

1. DPSCD graduate, SW Detroit resident, BAMN organizer - don’t be like people in Germany in the 1930s. Our movement for equality is more powerful than the Trump movement.
   As ICE tried to carry out mass raids in LA, the community drove them out. Join us tomorrow at 5pm at the ICE center.

1. cont- Vitti’s statement is proof that he needs to go. We need to be our own heroes.

1. ESL teacher in SW Detroit. Use your leverage. This is not the first student to be detained by ICE and he likely won’t be the last. We’ve seen ICE at Clark Park. We can work together with the leverage we have, with our representatives and the community to make sure these threats don’t happen.

1. BAMN. Urges Vitti and board to do more to protect students and to stand with Maykol.

The Chair is trying to see what to do after 1 hour of comment. The board votes to continue public comment.

1. Alumni of DSPCD. Consequences for immigrant students are much more harsh. Newcomers receive heightened levels of suspension.

1. Maykol Bogoya-Duarte’s mother (in red) with a representative. Milford Massachusetts example- Governor released a statement, community fought back against deportation of HS student. Stand up on the right side of history.

1. Advocating for her son who needs ESE program - has been through four different schools. He was abused physically at school. Needs sign language education, is not happening at Drew.

1. SW Detroit resident, in support of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte. Doesn’t believe that they don’t have power and can’t do anything else, despite what they say. What do resolutions they pass even mean if not standing up for him?

1. SW Detroit resident. Organizer for Graduate Employees at WSU. In support of Maykol. Implores their power and leverage to make a public statement in support of Maykol. Bring Maykol home so he can finish his studies. We see ICE constantly in our neighborhoods.

1. Organizer with People’s Assembly, does youth programming with Western Intl students. We need you to feel their pain as you represent their school district. We need to see the ‘sanctuary school district’ in action. We don’t need you to tell us, we need you to show us.

1. His daughter graduated in 2005 from DPS. Refers to the poem that has been referenced, “First they came for the immigrants…” we cannot do that. Asks the board to call a press conference and publicly state that they disagree with what is going on.

1. Advocating for her daughter who was molested at DPSCD. Investigation and report was careless. Faced retaliation for speaking up.

1. Father of molested kindergartener at Academy of Americas. Response has been atrocious, attempt to sweep it under the rug. Principal sent out a letter with wrong information, him and his family has been retaliated against.

1. 2nd Grade teacher. Worried about budget cuts affecting their school specifically. Need to take the minimal step of denouncing ICE abduction and demanding his immediate release.

1. Member of Detroit Will Breathe and People’s Assembly. Just found out that Maykol Boyoga-Duarte is scheduled for deportation tomorrow from a phone call. We need to be organized in the streets, that’s where the power lies.

1. Academic interventionist in SW Detroit. People in LA are in the streets fighting right now. We have lockdown drills to prepare students for an armed shooter. We have a duty to protect them. ICE is no different, they mean our students harm, to separate them their families.

1. Organizer with People’s Assembly. Only the people united will defend immigrant families. You cannot sit back and wring your hands of responsibility. You have the power to help free Maykol. Make a public statement tonight, demand his immediate release.

1. Detroit resident over 40 years, has worked with Detroit youth this whole time. Has seen families torn apart by deportation. Don’t let Maykol get torn away and leave his classmates to grief. Demand his release. This sends a message in the future for what we will accept and not accept.

1. Staff from Western International - newcomers need appropriate services to learn English. Students show up and work so hard to learn the language, need more ESL teachers (need 10-14 more just at Western). Help with future planning.

1. Former teacher, went to law school, felt like as a teacher she was a tool of the state, wanted to have more influence. Cherishes public education. Urges them to support Maykol.

1. Questions creating a new football facility at Cooley. Her request for pools at her school was denied. Believes the decision for the football facility was incoherent.

1. In the moment of Maykol’s arrest he called his teachers for help. This is your chance to stand up for your children. Will someone make a vote to write a resolution on this tonight?

1. The previous commenter is his daughter. Kids in SW don’t know if they will come home to see their parents. They live in fear. You can’t get education if your basic psychological needs aren’t being met.

1. cont. Calls for them to do a press conference tomorrow morning. Tell the president of the United States to get his thugs out of this city. Pass a resolution, but do more than that - publicize it. We need to build a movement.

1. Nicole Conway - terminated DPS teacher. The way this meeting started was despicable. If you aren’t able to make a simple statement on behalf of a student, you don’t deserve to be on the board. A letter from a school board will have a lot of authority.

1. Why delete posts on social media, let parents have conversations.

Don’t shut us down, if you want to leave, leave, but don’t shut down engagement.

Accommodations need to be serviced, advocating for her daughter.

Peterson Mayberry announces they have been in touch with Shri Thanedar, he is calling Maykol’s mom this evening.

Language for a resolution to support Maykol is in review.

Gay-Dagnogo - the media timeslot is not going to wait for us.

Lots of moving pieces right now.

Gay-Dagnogo wants to move things along to make the news tonight. They need a statement. They’re pulling things together quickly.

There are 4 more commenters with call in comments, they are confirming if they can move forward or not hearing the comments.

1. Responding to the Davis Aerospace Academy resolution, glad for the development but has more requests. Appreciates the work of the board.

Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X schools are the only Afrocentric schools in Detroit. We understand deportation. We’re all tonight part of a movement.

Peterson-Mayberry asks if they can pull language from the original resolution.

Chair Vaughn has a statement. Closed session (item 14) is next, they are going to finalize the statement and get the media together. They need to go into closed session to confirm the statement.

9:38pm closed session begins

10:08pm Okay we’re back. Looks like they’re setting up for a statement to be read.

Paraphrasing: The board stands firmly, demanding the immediate stay of deportation for our student Maykol Bogoya-Duarte. We call for the immediate release of Maykol, we want him to complete his course work and achieve his high school diploma.

Chair Vaughn, speaking to group of organizers - We are mothers - and it breaks my heart - when I saw his mom up there.

The closed session screen is still up - I think they came out of session just to record the resolution statement, but the meeting has not been adjourned.

10:50pm - the board returns to the table.

Chair Vaughn now reads the board’s statement into the record that was sent to the media, in support of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte.

Item 15. Personnel Actions

They are amending 15.01 to remove one name.

All three are approved.

Item 16 - Announcements

Today was the last day of school for students.

Finance meeting Wed 6/18, 3pm.

Next board meeting 7/8.

Motion to adjourn passes at 10:56pm.

whew! Thank you for liveskeeting the board meeting!

Meeting adjourned at 10:56pm. This concludes the DPSCD Regular Board Meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 7/8/25, at 5:30pm. For more meeting coverage, check out https://documenters.org.