Closing the Catherine Ferguson Academy for girls

**socks_mahoney** · April-06-11, 01:41 PM

Has Bob Bobb publicly given any reason for closing Catherine Ferguson Academy? Of all the schools to close the one for pregnant girls and their children seems like the one most people would avoid closing. Its got an agriculture curriculum worked into the rest of the classes so the girls can learn how to support themselves and their community while receiving the standard high school education. Its program is so unique it has attracted international attention over the past few years. And their kids are taken care of so they don't drop out to take care of them. Has he explained this particular closure specifically?

Its also a vital community resource for the urban ag community both as a warehouse and a center of learning.

The most successful students who return to school are often mothers who dropped out because they were pregnant, why give up on these girls now? Its their children who are going to rebuild this city.

Robert Bobb has so much explaining to do.

**Detroitnerd** · April-06-11, 01:46 PM

Well, it makes sense. If your goal is to crush the unions and privatize the schools for your cronies, you need to eliminate anything that is the threat of a good example. I wouldn't be surprised if he hired crews to salt the earth so that nothing ever grows against at CFA.

**5speedz34** · April-06-11, 02:18 PM

They're closing this school?? That really sucks I always thought it was one of the bright spots in DPS.

**Zacha341** · April-06-11, 03:21 PM

Yes, the power that be deem it to go. Sad. This school is beautiful architecturally speaking as well. It was Cheney Elementary or was that Brady? ... Sad to see it go....

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Well, it makes sense. If your goal is to crush the unions and privatize the schools for your cronies, you need to eliminate anything that is the threat of a good example. I wouldn't be surprised if he hired crews to salt the earth so that nothing ever grows against at CFA.

**DetroitTeacher** · April-06-11, 04:00 PM

I thought that Fergeson was just being moved...I could be wrong but that was the talk last year.

**1KielsonDrive** · April-06-11, 04:20 PM

Bob Bobb is not an EMF. Nor is he a manager. He's an autocrat. Our officials are now elected or appointed to a board or directorship by one or a few politicians. If you need any further clarification of Snyder's plans and goals, look no further than his passage of ?EMF? and unemployment compensation legislation. The honeymoon or benefit of the doubt window is now over, if it ever existed.

**English** · April-07-11, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Well, it makes sense. If your goal is to crush the unions and privatize the schools for your cronies, you need to eliminate anything that is the threat of a good example. I wouldn't be surprised if he hired crews to salt the earth so that nothing ever grows against at CFA.

LOL! Exactly. He is also closing Detroit Day School for the Deaf. Parents from outside the city send their kids there because there are few options.

I'm not against charters per se, but I'd love to see these charter school operators jump to take over schools for kids with special needs, or pregnant girls, or the most difficult kids. Instead they make the case that they can do better with the kids who "want to learn" [[read: "have involved parents"). This educator will be more impressed when they begin to educate schools filled with the most difficult and troubled kids. I will then drop all my objections.

**mauser** · April-17-11, 10:25 AM

http://www.detroitfunk.com/?p=5235

DPS Emergency Financial Manager orders closing of Catherine Ferguson Academy for Young Women - one of only two public schools in all of the USA that caters to expecting girls and young mothers as well as their children.

Demonstration led to arrest of the children who are ticketed and charged with misdemeanor trespassing.

**Baselinepunk** · April-17-11, 11:14 AM

"Mr. Bobb; tear down that school district". -- Gov. Rick Snyder 2011 [[credit to the poster' can't remember their name right now, who first contextualized this Reagan comment to the current situation in DPS.

I'll offer that we go one further and use the term "Bobbed" when talking about EFM's who screw up a district and/or City. Term used in a context:

"Benton Harbor just got Bobbed!"

"Wholly shit! I thought I had an extra twenty in my wallet. Now I'm screwed; I can't pay the bill. I'm Bobbed!".

"Daddy? Why are they closing my school?" "I'm sorry, sweetheart; they Bobbed it".

"Don't Bobb with me, buddy".

"To Bobb or not Bobb? Well, that's a dumb question. Bobb the motherfuckers!"

and in song:

" I see a girl that I know driving around town and I'm like "Bobb you and a, Bobb you, too".

"Kick Out The Jams, Robert Bobbers!!!!"

"Na Na NaNaNa, Na Na NaNaNa, a Bobb Romance".

**oldredfordette** · April-17-11, 03:36 PM

A disgusting display of force yesterday by fellow public service workers, the Detroit police. Shoving women, dragging young people by the cuffs. Excuse me Mr. Police Officer, but you're next!

I am not a fan of BAMN, seeing them at the school was a horrifying turn of events, but the cops were wrong wrong wrong wrong.

**Rocko** · April-17-11, 03:53 PM

Interesting that the Free Press had no problem outing Kwame and all his dishonorable acts which were ruining the city, but they've yet to make a peep about a real serious just-as-in-your-face story which affects [[sadly) thousands of young women around the city. They could be making the same kind of stir about the closing of the Fergueson School, and in the end, DPS may consent to leave it open, if popular support for this really forward-thinking school and keeping it open were galvanized. But they are silent. Shame on them.

**cycledetroit** · April-17-11, 05:13 PM

Greengos [[in Grosse Pointe Park) is having a grand opening party on Friday the 22nd, they are also having a silent auction, all proceeds of the night will go to the CFA. Contact Greengos [[on facebook?) for more info.

http://detroitevolution.com/2011/04/...guson-academy/

http://www.facebook.com/video/video....64495&comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az43IjZf25M

**socks_mahoney** · April-17-11, 08:22 PM

The seen at CFA on Friday was grim. The cops quickly escalated what was a peaceful protest into an all out battle between the community and Bobb. Was taking out billy clubs really necessary? Was blaring disorienting sirens and horns to keep organizers and protesters from being able to hear each other really the right thing to do? A lot of the cops looked like they wanted to fight.

After all the girls were driven away I saw two cops smiling and high five. The photographer from the Michigan Citizen who was there said he got a shot of it. Really disgusting. Whether or not its "just following orders" arresting teen mothers should never be cause for smiling much less high fives between cops.

Also, gang squad came as well as federal agents [[who can be told apart because they exclusively travel in Durangos). I think Bobb and his thugs wanted to put this down before any other schools got the idea that they might have to protect their democracy and the public nature of their schools.

CFA is a succesful school, which is exactly why Bobb wants it to close. In NOLA the public education system has become a "school of last resort" where all the students that charters wont take have to go. Placing all of the most troubled students in the public schools [[and keeping the charters exclusive) burdens the public system and really rips off tax payers.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists....

Will we speak up this time, freedom lovers? I sure hope so.

**oldredfordette** · April-17-11, 08:57 PM

The right wing in this country does not give a rat's ass about children, they insist on compulsory pregnancy, pretending to care about the fetus [[while slashing programs and organizations that work toward healthy births) then tossing them aside once out of the womb. Why educate them when there are no jobs or no hope?

**SWMAP** · April-17-11, 10:06 PM

"peaceful protest" ? Since when has Shanta Driver and BAMN ever tried to keep a protest peaceful. They are professed anarchists.

**English** · April-17-11, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by cycledetroit

Greengos [[in Grosse Pointe Park) is having a grand opening party on Friday the 22nd, they are also having a silent auction, all proceeds of the night will go to the CFA. Contact Greengos [[on facebook?) for more info.

http://detroitevolution.com/2011/04/...guson-academy/

http://www.facebook.com/video/video....64495&comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az43IjZf25M

A beautiful gesture during a very frightening time... love in the face of hate. My old teacher, G. Asenath Andrews, and her girls will certainly appreciate this.

And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

**1KielsonDrive** · April-18-11, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Baselinepunk

"Mr. Bobb; tear down that school district". -- Gov. Rick Snyder 2011 [[credit to the poster' can't remember their name right now, who first contextualized this Reagan comment to the current situation in DPS.

I'll offer that we go one further and use the term "Bobbed" when talking about EFM's who screw up a district and/or City. Term used in a context:

"Benton Harbor just got Bobbed!"

"Wholly shit! I thought I had an extra twenty in my wallet. Now I'm screwed; I can't pay the bill. I'm Bobbed!".

"Daddy? Why are they closing my school?" "I'm sorry, sweetheart; they Bobbed it".

"Don't Bobb with me, buddy".

"To Bobb or not Bobb? Well, that's a dumb question. Bobb the motherfuckers!"

and in song:

" I see a girl that I know driving around town and I'm like "Bobb you and a, Bobb you, too".

"Kick Out The Jams, Robert Bobbers!!!!"

"Na Na NaNaNa, Na Na NaNaNa, a Bobb Romance".

Let's begin a list of 'euphemisms' for our future use. We now have 'Bobbed', 'Santorum' [[uggh), and the reply from Jon Kyl ,'not meant to be a factual statement'. Any others wishing to contribute?

**SWMAP** · April-18-11, 10:55 AM

Cetrainly a huge loss to have CFA close. But I learned here that CFA is one of only two like schools in the country. It sounds like a brilliant, albeit expensive program. Remember that childcare is folded in somehow.

Then I saw this noted in a 2004 Metro Times article on the school:
"While Detroit public schools are bleeding students and dollars, prompting the recent announcement that the district will close 40 schools and cut 4,000 jobs to shore up a $200 million two-year deficit, Catherine Ferguson, somehow, every year, obtains about double the funding per student of the average Detroit public school. Andrews is tight-lipped about her budget and how she makes it work, except to say that the school is district-funded and gets dollars for special-needs students."

Possibly the expense is a just a luxury now.

I also think its interesting and food for thought that this successful school is/was an all-girl school:
Andrews emphasizes the need for all-girls schools. And at Catherine Ferguson, there’s also a dress code.
“Women fight over two things: boys and clothes. We don’t have any boys over the age of 3, so we only had to deal with the clothes issue. We tried the boys thing once. We had three boys here. But girls give power away too readily, as do women. They were wonderful boys and their stock will never be that high. When they graduated, they held two of six elected leadership positions. You’re telling me these boys were better than 80 girls? We as women abdicate our power so easily. We haven’t had boys apply since then.”
Student Frederica Owens, 16, says, “It’s better here because all there is to do is work. There’s no boys, boys, boys.”

**margdar** · April-18-11, 12:40 PM

http://youtu.be/BeEo-AgOYAk

"One of the students forcibly removed from Catherine Ferguson Academy and ticketed by Detroit Police today describing her experience."

**HistoryNotHisStory** · April-20-11, 09:18 AM

Catherine Ferguson Academy is a very very unique school.

Not only does it provides schooling for pregnant teens, It has it own farm with farm animals. The school grounds include a full-fledged farm with gardens, orchards, horses, goats, bees, chickens, ducks and rabbits. The farm is integrated into the curriculum at the school. In previous years the students also built a barn for the farm project.The students learns about agriculture and farming.

The School also has a barn with a Wind Turbine and Solar PV Panel. The was featured as a part of the National Solar Energy Tour in 2007. http://www.glrea.org/events/solarBuildingTour2007/detroit.html

It is possibly one of the most greenest schools in Michigan.

It is sad that there are only two public schools in the U.S. that schools pregnant teens. But this school has a curriculum that teach young women to farm.

We can't do this!

**HistoryNotHisStory** · April-21-11, 07:50 AM

The Catherine Ferguson Academy is one of the only two schools in the United States that caters to pregnant teens. It is sad that the United States only have two. But it is tragic that we are closing one.

The CFA has a farm and with farm animals. The young ladies at the school learns agriculture.

In addition, the CFA was featured in the American Solar Energy Society National Solar Tour. They have Solar Panels and a Wind Turbine on top of the barn.http://www.glrea.org/events/solarBui...7/detroit.html

This is the most unique and progressive school in the Detroit Public Schools.

I encourage everyone to write a letter to Bob Bobb and to provide financial support. It is insane to close a school with a 90% graduation rate in Detroit.

PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO FROM CHANNEL WXYZ-DETROIT

http://youtu.be/N-nDPPojlnI

**socks_mahoney** · April-21-11, 12:48 PM

I dont want to rain on your parade but letter writing is unlikely to do anything. Robert Bobb is deliberately closing successful schools to degrade the public system and boost charters, essentially creating a two tiered system. DPS would be for the underclass and charters would be for children who have involved parents with the resources and time to get them into schools. What happened to public schools being the ultimate mixing pot for American culture?

Absent of continued direct non violent actions, CFA will close.

**Detroitnerd** · April-21-11, 01:01 PM

Dear supporters of Catherine Ferguson Academy,

Thank you for all your efforts to let me know that you really care about the Catherine Ferguson Academy. It has been a shining beacon, proving that quality public education in Detroit for students with special needs is not only possible, but can be a spectacular success. On every level, I understand and appreciate your concerns about the school, its staff, the historic building it occupies and the farm on its grounds.

I must, however, inform you that these are precisely the reasons CFA must go. You see, we are trying to take a failing school district and turn it into a way for my friends in business to make a lot of money. As long as public schools such as CFA exist, succeeding in their mission, they compete with the institutions my friends [[and funders) want to set up in Detroit. And we're afraid that a school like CFA poses a threat to our businesses and potential profits.

Remember: This idea that education is a public service we must provide to every child is not going to apply anymore. Education is going to become like health care or prisons: A profit center for business where money can be made, or a burden on the public where it is simply impossible to make a profit. My charter school friends and I need to make lots of money as quickly as possible; if a functioning school stands in the way, it must be demolished and forgotten right away.

Sincerely,

Robert Bobb

**HistoryNotHisStory** · April-22-11, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Dear supporters of Catherine Ferguson Academy,

Thank you for all your efforts to let me know that you really care about the Catherine Ferguson Academy. It has been a shining beacon, proving that quality public education in Detroit for students with special needs is not only possible, but can be a spectacular success. On every level, I understand and appreciate your concerns about the school, its staff, the historic building it occupies and the farm on its grounds.

I must, however, inform you that these are precisely the reasons CFA must go. You see, we are trying to take a failing school district and turn it into a way for my friends in business to make a lot of money. As long as public schools such as CFA exist, succeeding in their mission, they compete with the institutions my friends [[and funders) want to set up in Detroit. And we're afraid that a school like CFA poses a threat to our businesses and potential profits.

Remember: This idea that education is a public service we must provide to every child is not going to apply anymore. Education is going to become like health care or prisons: A profit center for business where money can be made, or a burden on the public where it is simply impossible to make a profit. My charter school friends and I need to make lots of money as quickly as possible; if a functioning school stands in the way, it must be demolished and forgotten right away.

Sincerely,

Robert Bobb

The old adage of follow the money trail is true.

Closing a sucessful school with a 90% graduation rate and with 100% of the students go to a 4-year institution while failing schools remains open boggles the mind. Follow the money trail.

It is no surprise that Bobb convinced uninformed voters to increase their property taxes to build new schools for a District whose population is declining. The only ones to gain from this is contractors who continually fund political campaigns.

Follow the Money Trail!

**oldredfordette** · April-22-11, 06:56 AM

There is all manner of fight back being planned for CFA, but letter writing and that form of agitating surely cannot harm. Supporting the actions of BAMN, that will cause harm.