MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — The struggles facing Muskegon Heights Schools, where a lack of teachers, curriculum and other issues have plagued parents since the outset of the school year, moved forward this week.
Central to the issue, the district's public board and the charter board—created to take over managerial responsibilities in the wake of Muskegon Heights’ exit from a state receivership—have long been at odds, culminating in the attempted removal of a charter board member, which was prevented by an earlier ruling.
The district’s public authorizer, the Board of Education of Muskegon Heights, attempted to have Academy Board Chair Antonette Robinson removed.
In circuit court Wednesday, Judge Kenneth Hoopes denied the charter board's request for an injunction and terminated the temporary restraining order issued on Nov. 22, which also prevented the Board of Education from adding new members.
It's not clear whether the decision allows the public board to move forward with Robinson's removal or whether that would require additional court proceedings.
Eric Delaporte, the attorney representing the district’s charter arm, argued the public board's attempt to remove the Academy chair had gone against proper procedure, which led to the prior restraining order.
The firing, Delaporte said, had also been retaliatory, suggesting that Robinson had been in the midst of looking into reports of malfeasance when she was fired without cause.
He said they had found checks that had been used to withdraw money from the district's accounts and that removing Robinson would harm that ongoing investigation.
“We do believe we're starting to find it, but it's taking us time, and that's why we're asking for this injunction is to allow this board to root out evidence of this malfeasance,” Delaporte said, going on to allege further fiscal impropriety.
13 ON YOUR SIDE was unable to independently substantiate the validity of that claim, save to suggest, as Delaporte indicated, that it formed the basis of the plaintiff’s request for an injunction.
The district board's attorney Brianna Scott countered that the board had no issue with that investigation, nor the charter board’s public feud with management firm New Paradigm for Education.
Robinson's firing, Scott added, was also not targeted.
Instead, she explained concerns over the financial picture inside Muskegon Heights Schools and what they perceived to be a lack of ability on the Charter school board to effectively manage its finances had prompted the board to replace Robinson.
“I don't see the need for a temporary injunction when there is no dispute concerning what he claims to be the most paramount issue in this case,” Scott noted.
“I would indicate that it is the desire, I think of every single person in this room that this academy survives, that the students that attended excel. The only way that that is going to happen is if the boards of both the academy and the district are able to work together.”
Scott argued the board did not violate procedure in moving to dismiss Robinson, that board members did not require cause to do so.
13 ON YOUR SIDE is looking into next steps and will update this story once those details have been confirmed.
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