Contents of this issue:
- Convicted school "bandit" is sentenced in Lapeer
- Howell looks to cut $2.1 million after signing teacher contract
- Dearborn Public School employee arrested for alleged sex crime
- Judge dismisses teacher lawsuit against Lansing School District
- State agency tells schools that bus ads are allowed
- Comment and win book money
CONVICTED SCHOOL "BANDIT" IS SENTENCED IN LAPEER
LAPEER, Mich. — A man who police say wandered through 40 to 50
schools under the guise of a custodian was sentenced to 18 months
to five years in prison, according to The Lapeer County Press.
Alfred J. Bailey, 49, would enter schools after hours and break
into classrooms looking for money in desks, purses and wallets,
The County Press reported. He told investigators he had entered
schools in Lapeer, Macomb and Oakland counties. If he were
confronted in a building, he would usually state that he was
looking for a meeting and left before authorities arrived, The
County Press reported.
In addition to a prison sentence, Bailey must pay fines and
costs, including the $1,594 spent by police to track and bring
him back from Florida to face charges. He was arrested in Ocala,
Fla., in March after Michigan State Police notified local
authorities of his whereabouts, according to The County Press.
Bailey was sentenced for two counts of breaking with intent to
steal in Imlay City and North Branch schools. No other
communities have pressed charges, but he is believed to be the
criminal caught on tape in districts located in Macomb and
Oakland Counties, The County Press reported.
SOURCE:
Lapeer County Press, "School bandit is sentenced," June 20, 2007
http://www.countypress.com/stories/062007/loc_20070620003.shtml
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Long-time school bandit suspect
arrested in Florida," April 3, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8364
Michigan Education Digest, "Ecorse schools consider background
checks on volunteers," June 5, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8635
HOWELL LOOKS TO CUT $2.1 MILLION AFTER SIGNING TEACHER CONTRACT
HOWELL, Mich. — The Howell Public Schools are looking to
alleviate a $2.1 million budget deficit by possibly contracting
for custodial and transportation services, and cutting academic
programs. These cuts come right after the district finalized its
contract with the Howell Education Association. That contract,
which will cost the schools an additional $750,000 to $1 million,
includes keeping insurance purchased from the Michigan Education
Specials Services Association, a third party administrator
affiliated with the Michigan Education Association school
employees union.
The district has sent out bids for custodial work, and is
expecting to save $400,000 through competitive contracting, the
Daily Press and Argus reported. That is an effective per-pupil
funding increase of $46.00.
"We knew in three years it would come to this," Rick Terres,
associate superintendent for business said, according to the
Daily Press and Argus. "We have to start impacting people's
lives. ... We are looking at options; one of those options includes
privatization. It is a little unclear at this point to what
degree that will occur."
Some members of the support service staff are upset with the
district's decision to examine competitive contracting. Both the
custodial and transportation staff have taken concessions in the
past, the Daily Press and Argus reported.
"Our health care is 34 percent cheaper than what teachers are
getting," district resident and bus driver Debbie Green said,
according to the newspaper.
Howell Public Schools have already saved $600,000 by reducing the
hours of instruction in the middle school schedule from seven to
six. The district also plans to see additional savings from
utility conservation, downsizing pool operations and by moving
school board elections from May to November, according to the
Daily Press and Argus.
SOURCES:
Livingston Daily Press & Argus, "Howell schools' deficit could
affect custodians first," June 21, 2007
http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070621/NEWS01/706210306/1002
Livingston Daily Press & Argus, "School officials to discuss cuts
in budget tonight," June 19, 2007
http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/NEWS01/706190317
Livingston Daily Press & Argus, "Deal should've been one that
district's students, taxpayers could applaud" June 17, 2007
http://www.dailypressandargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/OPINION01/706170315
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Effective Funding Increase
from Competitive Contracting in Selected Michigan School
Districts," June 11, 2007
https://www.mackinac.org/8222
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Howell teachers contribute more for
MESSA premiums," June 19, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8648
Michigan Education Report, "Growing number of districts seek
solutions to costly health insurance," Dec. 15, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7479
DEARBORN PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED SEX CRIME
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. — A Dearborn Public School paraprofessional was
arraigned on one count of child abusive commercial activity and
three counts of using the Internet to commit a crime, according
to The Detroit News.
Steven Lysogorski, 37, has been working with the schools for 14
years and is in charge of supervising students in detention, as
well as working with at-risk students. The two charges carry a
maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, The News reported.
Lysogorski allegedly was caught by a member of the Wayne County
Sheriff's Internet Crime Unit who posed as a 14-year-old boy over
the Internet. When he was arrested by deputies his plan was to
provide the "boy" with a cell phone in exchange for sex, Wayne
County Sheriff Warren Evans said, according to The News.
"It's very disheartening to see someone who has one of the most
sacred trusts possible, the supervision of children, allegedly
violate that trust by engaging in this type of behavior," Evans
said in a press release, according to The News.
SOURCE:
The Detroit News, "School employee arraigned sex charges,"
June 22, 2007
https://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706220431
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Parents Still Have an Option
to Check Kids' Safety," Feb. 2, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7574
Michigan Education Digest, "Some convicted felons still working
in schools," July 5, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7807
JUDGE DISMISSES TEACHER LAWSUIT AGAINST LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT
LANSING, Mich. — The lawsuit filed against the Lansing School
District by four teachers, who claim the district broke state
expulsion laws, was dismissed by an Ingham County Circuit Court
judge, according to the Lansing State Journal.
The four teachers claimed they were assaulted by four different
students who slapped or threw chairs at them. Under state law, a
student in sixth grade or above who assaults a school employee
faces mandatory expulsion. The four students were suspended by
the district, the State Journal reported.
"At times, the board, with the assistance of the staff and the
affected individuals themselves, may deem that it doesn't rise to
assault," Lansing school board President Guillermo Lopez told the
State Journal. "But we always look at how we can protect our
staff."
Court documents show the teachers are concerned that disciplinary
action in the district is "an ongoing pattern of ignoring the
mandates," and endangers staff and students, the State Journal
reported.
The case was dismissed by the judge because he said it is not the
court's place to settle disputes over student disciplinary
action.
"I don't propose as a circuit court judge to monitor this school
district's activities," Judge Thomas Brown said. "It's not our
prerogative."
SOURCES:
Lansing State Journal, "Judge dismisses lawsuit against Lansing
schools," June 20, 2007
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070620/NEWS01/706200360/1001/news
Lansing State Journal, "Teachers sue over alleged assaults,"
June 20, 2007
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070620/NEWS01/706200343/1006/news
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Private Protection: A Growing
Industry Could Enhance School Safety," Nov. 16, 1998
http://www.mackinc.org/802
Michigan Education Report, "The three P's of school safety,"
Fall 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/3134
STATE AGENCY TELLS SCHOOLS THAT BUS ADS ARE ALLOWED
YPSILANTI, Mich. — A state agency that recently mandated that
advertisements be removed from Ypsilanti school buses said the
decision was based on a misunderstanding, according to The Ann
Arbor News.
A school bus inspector from the Michigan State Police told the
Ypsilanti Public Schools that all of their buses would fail state
inspection if advertisements were not removed. The district
contracts with InSight Media for ad placement and has been doing
so since November 2005, The News reported.
Robert R. Powers Jr., commanding officer of the Michigan State
Police Traffic Safety division told The News that the Michigan
Department of Education is working on a policy regarding
advertisements in school buses, but it is still being developed.
"Unfortunately someone from my staff misinterpreted that draft as
a policy," Powers told The News. "They were acting on a policy
that doesn't exist, and may never exist."
InSight President Brian Ungar was pleased to have the issue
cleared up. The company has also contracted with Bay City Hazel
Park, West Bloomfield, Southgate and Saginaw school districts,
The News reported.
"We put the school districts in a sticky situation, and we didn't
mean to," Ungar told The News. "We're excited we finally have the
rules and regulations worked out and have it in writing."
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Agency says school bus ads can stay,"
June 20, 2007
https://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1182350575183490.xml&coll=2
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Ypsilanti schools forced to remove
ads from buses," June 12, 2007
https://www.educationreport.org/8636
Michigan Education Digest, "Kentwood leases land for billboards,"
Nov. 14, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/8067
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "The Six Habits of Fiscally
Responsible Public School Districts," Dec. 3, 2002
https://www.mackinac.org/4891
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