  Shave Member Username: Shave Post Number: 138 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 24.99.111.241 |
This is the reason that I decided to join this forum: Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 954 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.61.184 Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 11:29 am: ------------------------------ ------------------------------ -------------------- McPhail supporters, remember that there was a reason the state took over the Detroit school board. They had been mismanaging the system for years. Millions of dollars were misspent. The governor, John Engler, and his supporters had seen enough and so they took over the board. A reform board was created and Mayor Archer, who as a mayor had no power to stop the governor's takeover, could select the chairman of the school board. He chose Freman Hendrix and Hendrix accepted the job. Now, you McPhail supporters want to tell me what Mayor Archer should have done? Should he have told Engler that he wouldn't be a part of the takeover and have Engler choose not only his one board member but all the board members and the chairman. Therefore, you folks would have preferred that the board be made up of all Engler's yes men? Now, instead of refusing to do anything, Archer decides to make the best of a bad situation and picks someone he feels can do the job as chairman. He picks Freman Hendrix, his deputy mayor. And as deputy mayor Hendrix agrees to do what his boss asked him to do. For whatever reason or reasons, Hendrix takes the job. You folks think he was supposed to turn down his boss's request? Just for a moment think about the choices Hendrix has to make at that time. If he is ambitious and is thinking about running for mayor on his own one day, given the fact that he is already the number two guy, then doesn't it make sense to you folks that he would take the job of chairman of the reform board? To refuse it would probably mean the end of his political career. Archer might have even fired him if he refused to take the position. Hendrix takes the role of chairman of the reform board because his boss has asked him to, and as a Detroiter he feels that it's his duty to do the best that he can do in a bad situation. However, according to you McPhail supporters he should have never accepted the job. Now, Hendrix schedules school board meetings, open to the public. However, not being able to accept the takeover, a small group of disgruntled Detroiters decide to disrupt the school board meetings at every opportunity, thinking that if they disrupt the meetings enough and no board business can get done, that Governor Engler will reverse his decision on the takeover and give back to Detroit its elected school board. Not realizing that their protests would not change Governor Engler's mind, they continued to be disruptive thinking that any disruptive behavior was their right. Hendrix as chairman has been tolerant of their disruptions during the first few board meetings. However, he realizes that board business has to be done so he attempts to have closed-door meetings. He doesn't realize that this is illegal(his only mistake as chairman) and is ordered by a judge to conduct public meetings. When these board meeting resume in public, the same citizens who were disrupting previous board meetings continue their disruptions. Hendrix realizes that since there can't be closed-door meetings and that there are Detroit citizens who come to the meetings that aren't disruptive who deserve to hear the board's business, he decides to do something to stop the disruptions or nothing will get done. And so he directs security to remove those citizens who choose to disrupt the meetings. In some cases he quickly removes those individuals who previously disrupted meetings as soon as they began being disruptive again. What other choices does he have, McPhail supporters? McPhail supporters, you appear to be the type of individuals who would blame the veterinarian for killing your dog even though you took the dog to the vet to be put to sleep. You appear to be the type of individuals that would sue your doctor for cutting off your leg, even though you agreed with him that the only way to prevent the cancer from spreading and you from dying was for him to amputate your leg. Freman Hendrix was put into a position that was unfavorable, but someone had to do it. Would you all be against Sharon McPhail if she had taken the role of reform board chairman? McPhail supporters, you are taking out your anger on the wrong person. If you want to be mad at someone for the board takeover, be mad at Governor Engler. Be mad at Mayor Kilpatrick for that matter because as state represenative he voted for the takeover. At any rate, you should not be mad at Freman Hendrix because of the reform board situation. He did not create that situation. He only tried to deal with it the best way that he could. If you want to be mad at Hendrix, be mad at him or dislike him for something else. Your arguments against Hendrix concerning the reform board are weak, and they are becoming quite tiresome. Smart Detroit voters can see right through them and know that your arguments have no merit. (Message edited by royce on June 29, 2005) | ||
Shave Member Username: Shave Post Number: 139 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 24.99.111.241 |
The title should read: Thank You Very Much Royce! Sorry for the grammatical error--I was just so excited to read such eloquent, well written, and well thought out post. | ||
Homer Member Username: Homer Post Number: 15 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 65.165.95.66 |
Couldn't agree more. That dead horse has taken quite a beating. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 396 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.139.64.80 |
ah...the freman thread. I find it interesting you all think this is a dead horse, but will yicketty yak about electric-chairs, paid-for-weddings, sambo bs etc. at the drop of a hat. All of which are fabricated lies or exaggerated half-truths...and at least have nothing to do with this election. So...WHY are you guys not interested in Michael Duggan quickly forming a company to win a contract to clean up the schools...a contract let by the reform school board CHAIRED by hendrix. This AT LEAST smacks of cronyism even IF there was nothing illegal done. So here is what I was thinking, and posted in another thread. I hate Freman. You hate Sharon. We both hate Kilpatrick...let's pool our forces or something? We obviously have alot of energy...we haven't even spoken about Kwame in the past few months...only bad-mouthed eachother's candidate. I think it's kwame's people's ploy...haven't heard a peep from them. | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 63 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.79.86.206 |
Quinn: I am interested in Duggan's company? What was it called? | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 745 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
Shave/Homer - You think that dead horse has taken a beating? Well that is where you are wrong. Do you think we Detroiters are so f'ing stupid that we don't care that Engler with his henchman Hendrix took away our right to vote? Seriously think about it. ONLY three times in history have we not had a right to vote: 1. All African American men before 1865 could not vote. 2. All women regardless of race could not vote before 1919 3. ALL Detroiters regardless of race could not vote for our school board. The city of Detroit as presented in the Michigan Citizen was in the black by 91 million. After Hendrix and his henchmen got a hold of our money they spent it away so quickly that we are now in debt for 15 years. They blame everyone but themselves. They blame the economy, they blame people for leaving. Well what they hell did they do to keep people? Archer and Hendrix did nothing to retain people - we lost 100,000 under their watch! They were too busy twiddling their thumbs and buying condos and spending on credit cards that they did not care what was happening at home in te neighborhoods. DO you honestly think that Joe Average Detroiter - and I am not talking about some little creative class loft dwelling person who never even talks to someone with kids in a Detroit school - has forgotten the school board takeover? Do you value your right to vote? I certainly do! When Eastpointe screwed up their school board and 1/2 have been indicted did Michigan come in there to take their right to vote away - NO! You know why not - because they have NO money. Detroit had money and they wanted it. Also I suspect there was a lot of Republican racism going on (and Hendrix is right there) thinkig that poor black people don't care or won't care. Well they were wrong. They were defeated this fall with a 73% vote in favor of taking our right to vote back! We had a few hundered thousand dollars and they had 5 million! Well the little guy won and kicked their butts. So if you are so ignorant to think it did not matter then you are just plain stupid! | ||
Shave Member Username: Shave Post Number: 140 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 24.99.111.241 |
Ilovedetroit, I am not plugging Hendrix, McPhail, or Kilpatrick. I am not going to dignify your insults by stooping to your level. I am simply giving mad props to Royce for his intelligent and unbiased explanation of a very touchy and contentious issue for Detroiters. I think that your political "passion" has turned into a morbid obsession. Perhaps you should just give this forum a rest for a while. You don't appear well judging by that last statement you made. | ||
Rosedaleken Member Username: Rosedaleken Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 204.38.171.25 |
I've found this forum very informative and it seems like there are plenty of better reasons not to vote for Hendrix, as well as info about all of the other candidates. I'd be interested in hearing opinions from younger voters on the school board issue. This will be my first mayoral election and I'm not too concerned with that particular issue since I was in DPS at the time and couldn't tell a difference anyway (maybe that's dumb but oh well). Any thoughts? | ||
Metrodetguy Member Username: Metrodetguy Post Number: 1590 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 207.200.116.134 |
"Seriously think about it. ONLY three times in history have we not had a right to vote" "Ilovedetroit", given that at various times you have claimed to be a woman then a man...and White then Black...who exactly is "we"? Citing "The Michigan Citizen" is not exactly the best way to support a claim. (recall their latest claim that Kilpatrick spent $9,000 on the city credit card whereas every other media outlet as well as the auditor general says $210,000+...as well as their advocating for a cop killer with erroneous claims about his courtroom testimony/behavior...and their sponsoring and promotion of "The Sambo Awards"). By the way, you forgot to mention that the largest population loss has occured under the Kilpatrick-McPhail watch. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 957 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.45.107 |
ilovedetroit, how did Freman Hendrix take away your right to vote? Engler and members of the state legislature did that. Do you have any proof that Hendrix was involved in this legislative decision? As deputy mayor of Detroit, how did Hendrix convince the governor and members of the state legislature to take away Detroiter's voting rights? The truth of the matter is this: Freman Hendrix did not take away your right to vote. Unless you can answer my above questions, your statement that Hendrix took away your right to vote is "false." You should not write statements like this about Hendrix or anybody else unless you intend to qualify them with an "I think..." At least with an "I think," people will know that you are only expressing your opinion and not trying to pass off information as fact. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 958 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.45.107 |
Shave, thanks for the mad props and moving my piece over to this thread. It's nice to see that there are still some objective thinkers that write on this forum. | ||
Helfy Member Username: Helfy Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 64.12.116.195 |
ROYCE: At best you are guilty of revisionist history! You try very hard to defend Freman Hendrix,BUT THE FACTS ARE THE FACTS: Freman Hendrix was appointed by Engler to Lead/Head/quarterback whatever you want to call it. Lets call it the reform board. We call it a takeover board, Freman calls it a rescue. SO FAR ALL FACTS. Now lets go forward a few years- $1.5billion bond fund that was mismanaged and is almost 100% spent. The schools are no better off, LAYOFFS EVERYWHERE, MEAP scores are down, students are graduating at a declining rate. ALL FACTS AGAIN. HOWEVER MR. Hendrix's intentions, the fact is we are WAY BEHIND THE 8 BALL NOW. Proposal E shows how disgusted Detroiters are with the school situation. SO FAR ALL FACTS!!!! NOW This is where it gets fuzzy- In my opinion people in Lansing and Detroit saw a big pile of money ($1.5 billion)and decided that "professional" construction management would takeover the bond fund to rehab and build new schools. Great! Detroit got some pretty expensive new schools, but at the same time they were losing students everywhere, they had brand new textbooks stored in offices that nobody accounted for! The kids of Detroit got screwed ROYALLY. FACT: Freman Hendrix was part of that period. So lets not forget that this is the same guy who wants to run our city, the same guy who layed off city workers and then got a similiar amount of Strategic Staffing Solutions workers hired by the city when he left office. THESE ARE FACTS AGAIN! You have the right to vote in this election and i surely hope you vote by the facts and not by it feels good,fuzzy warm, good looking guy vote! | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 960 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.45.107 |
Helfy, one fact you failed to mention is that the 1.5 billion fund voted by the Detroit taxpapers was earmarked ONLY for new buildings and capital improvements. It couldn't be spent on anything else. It couldn't be used for anything else. If you want to say Hendrix squandered the money fine, that's your opinion. That money would not have stopped parents from taking their children out of DPS because of a lack of textbooks, lack of discipline, or lack or anything else. The fact is that money was earmarked for one thing and that's all it could be used for. It went into building the new Cass Tech, the new Renaissance, the new Brenda Scott MS, the new Heilmann MS, the extentions at Southeastern and Central, and new athletic facilities at Mumford, Redford, King, Denby, Southeastern, and Kettering. There are many other new school buildings and improvements that that money was used for. Helfy, don't blatantly lie and say it was wasted and squandered. The money was spent on what it was intended for. These are facts and the facts speak for themselves. | ||
Shave Member Username: Shave Post Number: 144 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 24.99.111.241 |
Is it me or does it not take a rocket scientist to understand what Royce has put forth so that we all may have a clearer picture regarding this issue? If all that the McPhail campaign has to run on is this "school board issue" then that camp is in deep shit. I have read on here Freeman Hendrix being accused of having a short fuse, accused of being mysogynistic, accused of squandering DPS monies, accused of stealing monies from the citizens of Detroit to buy a very expensive condo in Florida, and accused of not being "Black enough" (whatever the hell that means). And if that was not enough, his poor wife is being run through the mudslinger. As far as I am concerned, all of these accusations and insinuations are really putting a human face on Freeman and showing McPhail and her supporters in a really bad light. Please, let's stay focused on the issues (if that is possible at this point). Okay Brian and Ilovedetroit, let me have it (I prefer the gut...my head is hurting right now). Royce, I really meant it when I said thank you. That post was and still is a welcome relief. | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 1810 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.252.9.94 |
Royce, I am very appreciative of your well thought out, well researched posts. This is the style of debate I have been hoping would appear on this thread, instead of just name-calling and mud-slinging. To the several of you who will assume where my support of a particular candidate is, I still don't choose any of them. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 751 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 63.149.5.130 |
Hendrix WILLINGLY went to take over the school board chairman job! It is in a deposition that he gave in a court of law. He stated that he "came to rescue the school system"....you can use all the fancy words you want. BOTTOMLINE he did it. AND he illegally moved meetings out of Detroit and violated the open meetings act. Read all about it below n chapter one: www.whoisfremanhendrix.com | ||
Brian Member Username: Brian Post Number: 2886 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.37.84.251 |
First, Engler didn't appoint anyone. Archer appointed Hendrix and the law dictated that the state treasurer sit on the board. It was Archer, and by Hendrix own words "Hendrix" who made the choices of who would be appointed to the reform board.
Hendrix was also over the money to buy textbooks, school security, etc. DPD offered FREE security to the DPS under Hendrix and he turned them down. But if parents left because of how money was spent, Hendrix was the man in charge, he could have done something. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 7793 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Royce, Great post! You grabbed my attention on here after our little go round on the "Opening day for baseball" thread. Ever since then I have followed your postings and have found them very informative. I was so glad I was able to meet you at the picnic, I only wished I could have spoke with you longer. | ||
1honey Member Username: 1honey Post Number: 336 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 208.39.170.77 |
Thanks Royce for the posting, they are informative as well. Dang, I wish I knew about the picnic, so I could have met you as well.  Keep posting that good stuff, I appreciate it!!! | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 323 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 172.131.159.34 |
ILD writes
This is an outstandingly succinct statement highlighting the absence of integrity of the position of the anti-DPS takeover people. They placed more importance on retaining their precious right to vote for a relatively unimportant elected position (in the context of everyday life) over the need to explore new solutions for the education crisis being experienced by Detroit's children. "Don't you dare take away my vote. It's the center of my self-worth. I know that the DPS has endured decades of decline, but those leaders that our people elect will eventually lead us out of these minor problems." Yep, sure can't live without that vote. For many, the whole "don't take away my vote" argument was a convenient pretext and excuse to angrily oppose a solution imposed by white folks in Lansing. Sure as hell not gonna let white folks disrespect us and tell us what to do. Well, when you're talking about takeovers of the DWSD, the elimination of residency requirements and a lot of other anti-Detroit legislation, those white folks in Lansing ARE full of shit. But given the DPS track record and the scope of its problems, not to mention the small but promising success of similar "takeovers" in other major cities, no Detroiter should have had a problem with trying this solution and we should have all got on board to support it. It was about the children, it wasn't about perceived disrespect. In the meantime, all those people being disrespected sat on their hands while those white folks in Lansing legislated to allow scores of charter schools into Detroit thereby bankrupting the DPS and ensuring that it would be unable to resolve its achievement issues. Who knows? Maybe I will be proven all wrong when the elected board turns the DPS fortunes around on a dime. |
