Royal, Benjamin- Detroit Public Schools Community District
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
I am a long-time member of the civil rights / immigrant rights organization BAMN. I have worked on campaigns to defend affirmative action, defend public education, and restore voting rights to the people of Detroit. I have also been active in immigrant rights struggles since the mass immigrant rights movement of 2006. As a teacher and DFT building rep in DPSCD, I helped other teachers appeal unfair evaluations and file grievances to improve the teaching and learning conditions in the schools. During the summer of 2020, I led the campaign that won the right for students and staff to access districtwide virtual education during the first phase of the COVID pandemic. Due to family health concerns, I ultimately had to resign from teaching in the district when Superintendent Vitti and the School Board forced the reopening of schools in the fall of 2021.
Endorsements
I have been endorsed by BAMN and their affiliated union caucus EON/BAMN.
Top financials Contributors
Website and social media links
As of right now, my campaign is self-funded.
to be determined
How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?
I think it is important for Board members to host community meetings in neighborhoods throughout the city so parents, students, and community members can come and discuss school related issues directly with a Board member. These would be opportunities for Board members to present upcoming proposals and solicit community feedback before formal School Board meetings.
It's also important that students have their own independent voice in District decisions. I would support students organizing an independent student union in which they decide their own organizational structure and elect their own representatives to bring concerns and recommendations to the Board.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
If we're not talking about fighting for more resources for our schools, then we're not talking seriously about how to address the multitude of issues that our students and teachers confront daily. Staffing and resources for mental health have to be priorities for funding. But we also need a Board that is committed to leading a movement to defend public education in Detroit and winning the necessary resources to address these issues.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
candidate was not asked this question
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
The academic outcome gap was narrowest when desegregation programs were strongest and most widespread. It's long past time to revisit the question of combining the 80+ local districts in the metro-Detroit area into a single metropolitan-wide district and implement a desegregation plan. We would also need to incorporate the 200+ local charter schools as well. Restoring all publicly funded schools to a public school district will also help make more funding and resources available for education once the private management companies are no longer assessing their fees or sending public school funds to their shareholders.
What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?
Fundamentally this question is about ensuring that every student is empowered to be who they are, which necessitates students having a voice of their own within the District. As a Board member, I would support the efforts of student activists to organize an independent student union whose leadership and internal structure would be determined by students. I think such an organization would benefit the District by providing a new avenue for students to be involved in District policy decisions and working to ensure the inclusion of students from all backgrounds in their school communities.
Every school should also have access to a wide variety of curriculum and course offerings that address issues of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, socioeconomic inequality, etc. It is also essential that students have access to extracurricular activities and student groups or clubs where they can learn more and discuss these issues openly and honestly in a more informal setting outside of instructional time. In today's context, we also need a School Board that will oppose any attempt at banning books from our schools or restricting how topics pertaining to racism and civil rights are taught in our classrooms.
What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?
Recruiting and retaining teachers requires better pay, benefits, and working conditions. Advocate for competitive salaries and benefits, reduce class sizes, provide modern resources, and ensure well-maintained facilities. Offer professional development and clear career advancement paths. Increase fundraising at the DPSCD Foundation to support these improvements.