FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
September 28, 2016
Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org
Schuette Does DeVos Family Bidding with Ruling on Detroit Schools
Republican AG does corporate donor bidding, lays groundwork for charter takeover
DETROIT — By ruling that struggling Detroit Schools can be closed this year, Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette is doing the bidding of his pro-charter corporate donors, the DeVos family.
According to campaign finance records, since 2010, Bill Schuette has received nearly $137,000 from the DeVos family and their pro-charter group Great Lakes Education Project.
Earlier today, Bill Schuette announced an opinion — that cannot be overturned without a court ruling — that stated that Detroit schools hurt by years of Republican control and neglect could be shut down this year.
“What Bill Schuette is doing is laying the groundwork for a complete charter takeover of Detroit Public Schools, which is exactly what the wealthy DeVos family has spent years and millions of dollars to achieve. Corporate money talks and as is par for the course, Bill Schuette has listened very intently,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “What these kids and schools need are more resources, not more chaos designed to force families into unaccountable, for-profit charter schools. The state took over Detroit schools years ago and, just like in Flint, their emergency management has failed and now they are forcing students and families to pay the price. The Republicans in the legislature laid out the blueprints for a charter takeover and now Bill Schuette has busted out the shovel and broken ground on their anti-public education project.”
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