DETROIT, Mich., Dec. 8, 2020 — This evening, the Detroit Public School Community District School Board is expected to vote on an amendment to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s contract. The amendment is expected to include an extension of the superintendent’s contract well beyond 2023 and a potential bonus. In response, state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit) issued the following statement:
“Early in my tenure in Michigan’s Legislature, I fought hard to guarantee that Detroiters would have a say in their school board’s leadership in the new DPSCD legislation, and that the board would be accountable to the public with full transparency. So it is disheartening that the current board and outgoing President is seeking to advance policies that may adversely impact the district’s financial stability post COVID-19 during this time of low accountability.
“Not only is this unacceptable, it’s egregious, and runs the risk of tying the hands of future board members being able to leverage support for students during the 2021 Michigan Legislative School Aid Budget Process. The needs of our students and educators should be our primary priority, and right now they need counselors, mental health support, and technology to continue remaining safe and successful as the pandemic continues. Detroit taxpayers deserve better than this.”