‘Save our Students’ by signing school petition

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, supporters of public education from across the state descended on Lansing to urge the Legislature to restore funding cuts and find a long term solution to fix Michigan’s school funding system.

Local school districts across Michigan are banning together with a newly formed group called “Save Our Students, Schools, State.” It is vital for public education that Hamtramck Public Schools gets involved and shows support for SOS.

SOS has the support and backing of the Michigan Association of School Boards. Attached is a petition that I’m asking members of the Hamtramck Public Schools Community to print out and get ten people to sign and return to me by Nov. 16. I’ll make sure the signed petitions are delivered to our legislators.

As of Nov. 10, the cut to public schools is $292 per pupil. Hamtramck Public Schools has 3,092 students. This $292 cut per pupil comes out to a loss of $902,864. Currently HPS has a deficit of $1,118,986. Many school districts are in a similar situation. I would hate for our community to go through what Dearborn Public Schools is going through right now, for example, but if changes are not made in how public schools are funded, many, many school districts including Hamtramck, will be in a similar situation in the very near future.

Thanking you in advance for supporting Hamtramck Public Schools, and all public schools in Michigan. Just for the record charter schools and academies are public schools and are affected by the funding cut also.

HPS has been educating students for 129 years and I’m sure everyone hopes HPS will be operating for another 129 years. You can help by collecting 10 signatures. The children are our future and we must invest in educating them. We must have funding that is equitable and stable. Please help me demand a quality education for our children from Lansing.

Thomas Niczay

Superintendent

Hamtramck Public Schools

3201 Roosevelt

Hamtramck MI 48212