GRANT, Mich. — After a summer of uncertainty, community members express relief after the Grant School Board announced at a meeting Monday that an agreement had been reached with Family Health Care.
They are keeping the Child and Adolescent Health Center open for the next three years, after voting to shut down the health center in June.
"It's just such a huge benefit for our students, and actually a lot of our staff members to have this available for all of our students right here in our school system," said Brett Zuver, Superintendent of Grant Public Schools.
Family Health Care issued a statement, saying: "The new contract does not change the way services are provided. The language follows all program requirements set forth by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services."
Increased communication is included in the new contract. Family Health Care includes in their statement:
"Stipulations of the contract include increased transparency, formalizing the Board of Education’s involvement with the Community Advisory Council; regular updates provided to the Board on operations of the school-based clinic; utilities for the clinic being billed to the health center or a third-party..."
"In reporting out, they'll have a couple times a year where they'll report out to the board about number of patients seen, number of students seen, things like that," said Zuver.
The mural, located inside the health center, was designed by a student to portray diversity and inclusion. It was the focus of debate last October, and will be removed as one of the new conditions of the contract.
"We are very happy that the health care center is staying, even with some minor medical alterations, we do have a lot of reservations and hesitation about some of those stipulations that were put into the contract," said Nicole Dewey, a parent who was present at Monday's board meeting.
One of the conditions she specified as being concerning was that the board must approve all future artwork and imagery that can be displayed in the health center.
"Part of the contract, the adjustment, was specific approval steps to have any type of artwork or any type of things of that nature approved by both the Superintendent and the Board President as well," said Zuver.
"That just makes us a little fearful of discrimination, and not having the people who felt comfortable there feel comfortable anymore," added Dewey, who is concerned over the effect the removal of the mural will have on the district's LGBTQ+ students."
Family Health Care expresses disappointment over the mural having to be removed, adding:
"Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of everything we do at Family Health Care. As required by law, we are accepting of all students regardless of age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation or gender identity."
While relieved that the Health Center will remain open, Dewey says parents are still disheartened that these events have taken place, and that community members plan on moving forward with recall petitions for the four board members who voted in favor of terminating the contract with Family Health Care.
"Even though ultimately it appears as though the right decision has been made, the four board members that are being recalled, they have simply lost the community's trust," said Dewey.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.