On the Record: September Board Meeting — What I Raised
– 🏛️ Bond community meetings. Forum feedback has been positive. Taxpayers now have more than one way to ask questions. This is a large proposal, so the facts have to be clear. I thanked the team and said I am looking forward to the remaining sessions.
– 🤝 MTSS and parent partnership. I asked what parent involvement in Tier 2 actually means, whether PLC time is used for these conversations, and whether acceleration is part of the plan.
– 📚 English learners and proficiency. As a former EL student, I said it took too long to be placed in mainstream classes because of fear I would fail. I asked the district to re-examine a system that can keep students in EL for about six years. Two to three years should often be enough to build proficiency, and staying in too long can hold learning back. I support dual-language and bilingual education, and Dearborn can be a model for it. The focus has to stay on challenging students so they are proficient, bilingual or not.
– 🍎 Teachers and negotiations. I thanked the educators who spoke and our negotiating team. The agreement is an important step, and our teachers deserve the best. I restated Mr. Berry’s information request from the last meeting, and I thanked Andrea Robinson for keeping the Board updated on work at the Michigan Senate.
– 🛝 Nowlin playground. I commended Superintendent Mike Esseily for the quick turnaround on an inclusive playground for Nowlin, and I thanked Trustee Bazzi for his advocacy.
– 🚲 E-bikes. We approved a policy update: e-bikes may be walked, not ridden, on school property. Administration will set signage and guidelines. I asked the City Relations Committee to meet with City Council on how the city regulates e-bikes.
– 🚌 School operations and family access. I thanked administration for a smooth start, including transportation, with about 20,000 students moving through our schools each day. Open houses went well, but 2:00–5:00 is hard for working parents. I asked that we look at better times next year.
– 🪧 Labor Day and school funding. I was honored to march with our educators on Labor Day. This Board should do more at the state level against voucher proposals that take money from public schools. Governor Gretchen Whitmer should not entertain those proposals.
– 🗳️ November ballot. Absentee voting starts September 24. I encouraged residents to review the full ballot, including through the League of Women Voters.
– 👨👩👧 Curriculum Committee. I asked for an update on the Curriculum Committee, including parent participation: when it last met, when it meets next, and how to join.
In service,
Trustee Adel A. Mozip
