By: Charity Meier | Farmington Press | Published February 23, 2024
The Farmington Public School District community is on edge following allegations of racial and cultural discrimination within the school district.
Some within the community feel they are going unnoticed or ignored following board meetings that addressed the topic.
As a result, two organizations that support the African American community, Allies Becoming Co-Conspirators for Justice and the Farmington African American Parent Network, planned to host a forum at the Farmington Community Library, 32737 W. 12 Mile Road in Farmington Hills, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24.
“Students are under attack and have vocalized that they do not feel safe at school, they fear retaliation from teachers, as well do the parents,” Tracy Pease, the president of ABC for Justice, said in a press release.
Pease said this forum was intended to give students and parents the opportunity to share their experiences.
State Reps. Samantha Steckloff, D-Farmington Hills, and Jason Hoskins, D-Southfield, were reportedly slated to be in attendance.
Pease emphasized that it was not a school board meeting.
“They had their meeting, now it's our turn,” she said.
School Board President Cheryl Blau said that school board members were not directly informed of the forum. Blau said that, unfortunately, the meeting was happening during a school break, when many people in the district are unable to attend. She said that she does have plans to meet with Pease this week.
“I am reaching out to other leaders of the community and trying to problem solve,” said Blau.