EMU Extends EAA Agreement in Spite of Opposition (video)
(C. Proxmire, Dec. 5, 2014)
For nearly an hour the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents heard from the public about the Education Achievement Authority, a State-run school district that partners with EMU. The contract was set to expire and Regents had until the end of the year to vote on continuing with the contract or letting it go.
Students, alumni, and educators urged the Regents to sever ties with the controversial program. Board President Susan Martin also recommended terminating the contract. None of the speakers were in favor of it.

The program  was established to revitalize failing public schools.  The EAA has faced multiple criticisms, including the lack of local control, the focus on privatization and profit, issues with digital-based learning, the reduction in standards for the hiring of educators, financial concerns, concerns about the failure of the programs software, concerns of facial disparity, and the decline of credibility of EMU’s education programs. Investigations done by the Detroit Free Press, Metro Times and others give credibility to these claims.
The Regents, who are appointed by the Governor and not elected by the public, voted to extend the contract one more year, with Regent Mike Morris saying “It is our hope will we see continued improvement.”
Francine Parker and Floyd Clack were the only “no” votes. Both Parker and Clack were at the end of their terms with the Dec. 5 meeting.
Morris was met with outcry from the audience when he proposed the extension and when the vote was done the room became chaotic, with protestors lying on the ground in homage to other protests happening around the country in support of the chant that “black lives matter.”
Rather than trying to break up the protests, the Board of Regents continued the meeting even though the public could not hear the business being conducted.

Previous stories and viewpoints:
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/12/02/guest-view-an-open-letter-to-emu-on-the-eaa/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/11/23/guest-column-hands-are-tied-in-stories-of-public-schools-in-the-mitten-state/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/08/31/families-in-several-cities-sent-deceptive-school-enrollment-notices-from-eaa/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/03/23/view-eaa-update/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/03/13/view-education-achievement-authority-expansion-moving-forward/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/02/19/ferndale-schools-take-advocacy-trip-to-lansing-video/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/02/18/how-are-michigan-schools-funded-video/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/02/16/school-funding-discussions-feb-18-advocacy-trip-feb-19-2/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/12/11/eaa-expansion-to-be-voted-on/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2013/11/08/view-ferndale-fights-for-fair-funding-for-our-schools-by-karen-twomey/