University of Michigan MLK address: Robert Bobb says changing the culture of Detroit schools difficult

Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager for the Detroit Public Schools, speaks to an audience at the University of Michigan's Rackham Amphitheater on Wednesday afternoon.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

James Jackson, who heads up the ISR, said the institute is interested in studying Bobb's work as a catalyst for change.

The MLK Symposium series is in its 24th year at U-M. This year's theme comes from a quote by the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm: "I am, was, and always will be a catalyst for change."

Bobb's lecture began with a 30-minute rundown of Dr. King's legacy as a civil rights leader. Bobb reminded the audience King, who was "just a Baptist minister" at the time, did not seek out his role, didn't dream as a child of leading revolution.

Once King's interest in social justice was piqued, he became the "drum major for justice" in arguing for equality - not only for other black people, but for the poor - over the next 15 years.

King was one of the rare people who made an effective career of "setting the captives free," Bobb said. "We should all work to live up to that legacy."

Detroit students have long faced a captivity of their own, stuck in an underperforming system.

Bobb was brought in to upset that apple cart, to usher in an era of high performance and standards in a district that, in his words, "has failed" its students. About 10 percent of Detroit students fail to be promoted to the next grade each year. Only 42 percent of Detroit students graduate high school. A little more than 50 percent are able to read at grade level. And 69 percent of schools in the district fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress.

Bobb's attitude toward teachers, administrators or union officials who would stand in the way of progress is bold, but not flippant: "Anyone who is not on-board needs to get off-board."

When one audience member asked whether teachers' voices were being heard in the process, Bobb said: "(Detroit's student achievement statistics) are not anything to be proud of. Detroit schools need to be turned upside down, inside out, rebuilt from top to bottom.

"Our children must be priority number one."

Bobb has already laid off more than 5,000 employees in the school district and canceled hundreds of contracts deemed too generous. Bobb has presided over hearings where district administrators were forced to justify dubious land deals.

But change hasn't been easy. In addition to the usual critics, who have a vested interest in the status quo, Bobb has learned absolute power isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Of the 700-plus contracts Bobb has voided since taking office, more than 670 of those decisions were appealed - a process that takes time, which is of the essence in the district.

Bobb, after all, was brought to Detroit on a one-year appointment. But Granholm offered him another year on the job, and he took it.

Bobb will leave eventually. He said that all the necessary work won't be done by March 2011, when his latest yearlong appointment ends, but Detroit will be on a stable, sustainable path.

Whenever that day comes, Bobb said, Detroit will be left with five products that will stabilize the school district in the long term:

• A master plan for education: Detroit Public schools won't be able to reach its goals if it doesn't set any. 
• A master plan for school security: The first question Bobb gets when speaking to Detroit parents is: "Can you keep my kid safe?" The focus here will be not only on punishment, but on conflict resolution whenever possible.
• A master plan for facilities: Buildings are not as important as the learning that happens inside, Bobb said - but Detroit needs to make sure its facilities are up to the task of accommodating students.
• A plan for parental involvement and community engagement: One clause in the school district's old agreement with teachers was they could only be made to meet with parents between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., which was inconvenient and sometimes unmanageable for working parents. Bobb said Detroit must ask its adult teachers to be flexible to meet the needs of its children.
• A long-term financial plan: From retiring Detroit's legacy deficit to avoiding such deficits in the future.

Another audience member asked what parents can do to help. Bobb said he's only asking two things of Detroit's parents: that they send their kids to school, on time, everyday, and to make sure their kids get a full night of sleep on school nights.

"We're not asking parents to feed their kids - we will handle that. We're not even asking them to stay up late reading to their children," Bobb said. "Just get your child to school and we will handle the rest."

James David Dickson can be reached at JamesDickson@AnnArbor.com.