Arresting teachers, pregnant teens and young moms

The Emergency Financial Manager of Detroit Public Schools recently announced a plan to to close eight schools and convert 45 more into charter schools. One of the schools slated for closing is Catherine Ferguson Academy, a school for pregnant teens and young mothers.

"The school provides pre-natal and parenting classes, and offers high school student mothers the opportunity to finish their high school education immediately after giving birth by providing on-site daycare, early childhood development services, and pre-school for their children, as well as on-site medical, dental and social services, so the young women don't have to miss school to attend appointments. What also makes CFA unique is its organic garden and farm with chickens, goats and a horse, which the students maintain as part of their science education."

The school has a 90% graduation rate and a 100% college acceptance rate after graduation-numbers unheard of when we are talking about young mothers.

Students and staff attempted petitioning and writing letters to gain the attention of the Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb, with no result. On April 15, a protest and sit in was planned. A number of staff and students planned to stay in the school's library to protest the closing. Police officers told the protesters that the school was closed and they were trespassing. After refusing to leave, a number of students and staff were arrested. You can read more about this here and here. 

Bob Cesca said it best:

Instead of raising taxes on the super-rich, Michigan Republicans are employing dictatorial powers -- dissolving local governments and selling off public facilities to private corporations, including, as you'll find out below, a public school for pregnant teens. This is tea party government in action. This is your pro-life party. They arrest pregnant teens and deprive them of a decent education -- instead of taxing the rich. Utterly disgusting.

I don't agree with the sentiment that Tea Party is responsible for the arrest of these students and faculty, but I do agree that it is disgusting that while Tea Party Republicans are throwing bitch fits over higher taxes for the wealthy and corporations, they are championing cutting programs that help the lower and middle classes. Cause, you know, there isn't enough money. So, there is money for tax cuts for people who don't need it, but no money for services for people who need them? It's reverse Robin Hood.

The government in Michigan is saying to these teens-we can't afford to give you an education that will give you the chance at a good job that will allow you to support yourself. While the Federal government is all like-Um, we are going to go ahead and pull some of your food assistance that you receive through WIC for you and your child. See how they are being set up to struggle.

And it isn't just young teens with kids, this is just an example. Those of us with the least are being asked to sacrifice the most, while those with the most are getting more. Shit is fucked.