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Should a financial manager have control of curriculum?

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-881407.mp3

LANSING, MI –

Detroit Public Schools emergency financial manager Robert Bobb told lawmakers in Lansing Thursday that he wants control over the district's academics. There is no bill drafted that would give him that level of control. But House Democrats are discussing the measure, even though they already rejected a similar plan from the Senate.

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Republican Senate Education Committee Chairman Wayne Kuipers has already pushed to give academic control over a struggling school district to one person. He says Robert Bobb has done a good job exposing financial corruption in Detroit Public Schools, and should be allowed to do the same on an academic level. Kuipers says he's not worried about the many complaints about Bobb from parents and administrators.

"I'm not concerned about that at all," he says. "I mean, his district is a mess and he's making some tough decisions. Had those decisions been made by previous administrations we wouldn't be in position we're in now."

Kuipers' plan was dropped from the long list of Race-To-The-Top reforms approved by the Legislature last month. Now Democrats in the House must decide whether to revisit the legislation.

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