PETITION: Eastern Michigan University faculty and students continue push to sever relationship with the EAA

Many Eastern Michigan University faculty and students, particularly those in the College of Education, have been pushing the EMU regents to immediately end their partnership with Governor Snyder’s failed experiment with Detroit students known as the Education Achievement Authority. Professor Stephen Wellinski has created a petition which you can sign HERE to show your support.

Dr. Wellinski has put together an extremely comprehensive set of links to support his effort and has given me permission to share his compilation here.

One goal for this petition was/is to provide a means of communicating to the Eastern Michigan University administration/Board of Regents disapproval of their choice to enter the interlocal agreement creating the Educational Achievement Authority (EAA) and with the idea they would sever this destructive path. As such, we have used this petition as a tool to share with the managers of this fine university the many and varied voices opposing the EAA (and EMU’s involvement).

We have heard from EMU’s College of Education faculty:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/25/faculty-fight-universitys-link-to-controversial-school-turnaround-district/

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/12/emu_stands_by_eaa_partnership.html

http://www.freep.com/article/20131203/NEWS05/312030070/EMU%20EAA%20protest

http://www.emu-aaup.org/index.php/2012-04-17-00-11-35/emu-aaup-news/278-college-of-education-chair-steve-camrons-speech-to-the-bor-121013

http://markmaynard.com/2014/02/with-snyders-eaa-going-down-in-flames-the-emu-community-urges-their-administration-to-sever-ties/

We have heard from the EMU community (current and former students):

http://www.heritage.com/articles/2014/02/23/ypsilanti_courier/news/doc5307a36f5b410720999216.txt?viewmode=fullstory

http://wemu.org/post/emu-students-faculty-protest-education-achievement-authority

http://www.easternecho.com/article/2013/12/students-and-faculty-voice-opinions-on-eaa

http://www.emu-aaup.org/attachments/eaapetition_data.pdf

http://michigancitizen.com/emu-faculty-fights-eaa-ties/

http://www.emu-aaup.org/attachments/bor_publiccomments_wellinski.pdf

We have even heard from an EMU Administrator with the courageous resignation from the EAA Board by the Dean of the College of Education:

http://wchbnewsdetroit.com/3028307/emu-dean-of-education-resigns-from-board-of-failing-education-achievement-authority/

We have heard from public school teachers (many who are EMU Alumni):

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/10/washtenaw_county_teachers_unio.html

http://wemu.org/post/ann-arbor-teachers-union-joins-boycott-emu-student-teachers

We have heard from public school advocates:

http://dianeravitch.net/2014/03/08/the-abject-failure-of-michigans-educational-achievement-authority/

http://www.freep.com/article/20130502/OPINION05/305020048/EAA-education-Snyder-Michigan-schools-Ellen-Lipton

http://vimeopro.com/mipfs/house-edu-hearings-and-vote-on-eaa-bill/video/61899621

http://okemosparentsforschools.blogspot.com/2014/02/eaa-support-failing.html

http://www.jrn.com/fox47news/news/EAA-Opponents-Say-State-Wide-Causing-More-Harm-Than-Good-235595281.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8yZxgOKKvA

http://www.mipfs.org/node/212

We have heard from state legislatures who are championing public schools:

http://027.housedems.com/news/article/rep-lipton-state-superintendent-agrees-eaa-should-end-control-of-schools

http://hopgood.senatedems.com/news/article/hopgood-warns-against-continued-push-of-eaa-legislation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7e1zco1Qlc&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqipXgHQ_tw

We have heard from the State Board of Education:

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/breaking-half-of-michigan-state-board-of-education-comes-out-against-expansion-of-the-eaa.html

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2014/02/state_board_of_education_membe.html

We have heard from the Michigan’s State school superintendent Mike Flanagan through his efforts to end the exclusivity agreement with the EAA. Ironically, Superintendent Flanagan was a final candidate for the EMU presidency when the Board of regents chose President Martin:

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2014/02/state_education_department_end.html

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140219/SCHOOLS/302190100

We have heard from the Ann Arbor/Ypsi regional chamber, which illustrates the nonpartisan agreement that the EAA is simply a bad idea:

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/breaking-ann-arborypsi-chamber-comes-out-against-expansion-of-eaa.html

http://wemu.org/post/a2y-chamber-opposes-eaa-expansion

We have heard from the ACLU:

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/eaa-grab-bag-job-posting-for-eaa-preschool-in-a-christian-setting-chancellor-covington-in-spin-mode-and-more.html

We have heard from the victims of EMU’s administration/Board of Regents choice (the students, teachers, and administrators from the EAA):

http://www.tellusdetroit.com/city-gov/schools/denby-high-protest-031712.html

http://insidetheeaa.com/students/

http://dianeravitch.net/2014/02/06/michigan-another-eaa-teacher-speaks-out-about-failure-of-snyders-eaa/

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/03/interview-a-former-eaa-administrator-who-was-fired-without-being-told-why-speaks-out.html

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/an-eaa-teacher-on-why-she-quit-you-are-the-most-unprofessional-people-ive-ever-worked-with.html

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/life-under-an-eaa-principal-any-teachers-who-allow-students-in-the-hallway-shall-receive-a-formal-letter-of-reprimand.html

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/eaa-teacher-of-the-year-on-why-she-quit-i-was-compromising-my-moral-integrity-and-i-couldnt-live-with-myself.html

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/02/an-eaa-teacher-elaborates-on-the-treatment-of-special-ed-students-these-kids-deserve-so-much-better.html

http://www.eclectablog.com/2014/01/head-of-eaa-conducts-exhaustive-3-day-investigation-of-student-abuse-other-allegations-finds-everything-is-just-fine.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAF8DGZ1i0c

The students in the EAA have spoken to us through their test scores:

https://sites.google.com/site/detroitdataanddemocracyproject/MEAP-Cohort-Data-Reveal-Stagnation-and-Decline-in-EAA-Achievement

Heck, we have even heard from Governor Snyder. Albeit, his offering was simply misleading, politically motivated, and nonsensical. (Please note: his original title was changed to eliminate the word “experiment” as illustrated in the actual link):

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140306/OPINION01/303060008/Gov-Rick-Snyder-EAA-worthy-experiment

So, who have we NOT heard from . . . The Administration/Board of Regents of Eastern Michigan University!!!

I made the claim that this group of people was hiding behind a cloak of arrogance when entering the interlocal agreement creating the EAA. And, it is apparent that they enjoy wearing this cloak in spite of all the voices telling them that they “have no clothes” – their continued foolhardiness has created a twisted version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” in the EMU community. It is apparent that they plan on remaining silent behind their arrogance – choosing to continue a path of failed leadership, degrading the valued concept of Education First, AND showing contempt for our EMU community in which they are charged with shepherding.

It is maddening to know that these managers have the opportunity to participate in the dialogue this week ~ to share thoughts and rationale for their EAA direction ~ but, are refusing to do so. This Wednesday (March 12th), The Provost is hosting an EAA forum, in which there will be NO PARTICIPATION on the panel by the EMU administrators or Board of Regents.

Given the lack of confidence/trust in this administration, it is a legitimate concern that Wednesday’s forum could turn into a scripted dog and pony show – a possible tool for this Administration/Board of Regents to stall in addressing our demands to speak to their EAA choices. Again, they have a wonderful opportunity this week to begin repairing the confidence/trust by simply engaging the community in a dialogue. We do not need to hear from Covington and his Shakespearean troupe. We need to hear from the Administration/Board of Regents of Eastern Michigan University!

It is time . . . we need to hear from this administration/Board of Regents!!!!

It is important for us to tell the administration/Board of Regents that we need to hear from them this Wednesday. And, we can do this by emailing each of them a personal invite to the Provost’s EAA Forum (Wednesday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Student Center Auditorium). Please, include in your invite a few words encouraging the individual to live the dignity that is attached to a position of power by participating.


Here are email addresses for the Board of Regents and individual Regents (also included are the president and provost) — emu.regents@emich.edu

Francine Paker (chair) ~ Francine.Parker@emich.edu
Floyd Clack ~ fclack1@yahoo.com
James F. Stapleton ~ jstapes@att.net
Mary Treder Lang ~ regent_mtrederlang@emich.edu
James Webb ~ regent_jwebb@emich.edu
President Martin ~ Sue.Martin@emich.edu
Provost Schatzel ~ kschatze@emich.edu

*** Again, please share this petition with others ~ encouraging signatures AND comments will be very helpful as we prepare for the next Board of Regents meeting.

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/eastern-michigan-university

Much appreciation,
Steve