Carl Ramsey is Bad for the Charter School Movement by Akindele Akinyemi

Carl Ramsey is grinning from ear to ear in this photo because he is happy to be on board with the corruption that Mayor Kilpatrick has been producing. Ramsey, who is running against Denise Monroe Hearn for State Representative in District 12, is also grinning because if he is elected he would work hard to eliminate charter schools both in Detroit and across the state.

Now why would Ramsey would do such a thing? Well, we recently found out that Ramsey was endorsed by the Detroit Federation of Teachers. Ramsey's plan for charter schools? Keep the current cap on university sponsored charter school at 150, eliminate the option to charter through the local school boards, eliminate the option to charter through the Intermediate School Boards (like Wayne RESA) and eliminate the option to charter through community colleges. That means schools like Wayne County Community College will never get the opportunity to charter any schools in Detroit under Ramsey's plan. Ramsey wants to close 20% of existing charters, regardless of how well they are doing, and send those children and families back to Detroit Public Schools where they can continue to fail.

How come he is against our educational choice movement here in Detroit? Because he simply cannot think for himself. He is a parrot for both DFT and Mayor Kilpatrick? Would you send a man like this to Lansing on behalf of lobbyists and special interest groups to keep children in a failing cycle that will eventually lead to a higher dropout rate? Has Carl Ramsey paid attention to the crime that is going on in DPS? How teachers want out of DPS? This is what Ramsey supports. He supports a failing system for a few pieces of silver. He is not for the people like his supporters have been telling me but he is for special interests.

He also wants to reduce the per pupil allotment for charter students as compared to DPS or traditional public schools. Presently, charters receive $7100 per student. Ramsey wants that number reduce somewhere between $5500-6000 per student (if that).

Now here is the catch. While Ramsey plans on introducing these types of laws he has completely forgotten about how Mayor Kilpatrick's children goes to charter schools. He has also forgotten how many people in his OWN community supports educational choices.


He supports HB 5912 to require the parents of children who are homeschooled to submit the local school intermediate school district at the beginning of each year the name and age of each child who is being educated in the home, and the name and address of each parent or legal guardian. This bill was introduced by State Rep. Brebda Clack and Ramsey supports this measure to restrict the freedom of parents from homescholing.

Ramsey also supports HB 5765 which would reduce a school district from 100,000 to 75,000 students that qualify a school district as a “school district of the first class.” This bill was introduced by Rep. Bettie Cook Scott. This is a bill that would restrict charter schools in Detroit.

Ramsey supports closing charters in Detroit to bring them back in the Detroit Public Schools system. Not one time Ramsey talks about the safety of those children or how charters are doing better each year. Maybe because Ramsey has taken such a harsh and unrealistic position on charters is the reason why people will not vote for him in August. Just because you have lawn signs that people will eventually steal does not mean you will win the election.

He is the Neighborhood City Hall Manager in Northeast Detroit located at 2328 East 7 Mile. He is servicing NE Detroit but running in SW Detroit for State Representative. He was transferred to the NE City Hall because of his ineffectiveness. Now he is asking for the residents of SW Detroit to send him to Lansing when Carl Ramsey supports and rubber stamps everything that the Mayor has done? Including infidelity? Including two dancers shot to death at the "alleged" party at the Manoogian Mansion? Including selling off the Detroit Windsor Tunnel? Including selling city parks? Expansion of Marathon? Ramsey supports it. Synagro? Ramsey wants it.

Carl is a nice guy, good heart and family man. But this is the same guy who ran against Wayne County Commissioner Ilona Varga and never campaigned in Lincoln Park to win the seat. We cannot have that mental lapse representing the 12th District, especially someone who is connected and tied in with Mayor Kilpatrick. So Carl, please go home and get a real job.

Vote Denise Monroe Hearn if you do not want the same mistakes over and over again in the 12th.