School district refuses to say what went into selecting new legal firms

The Hamtramck Board of Education recently hired a new team of attorneys, but it’s not saying how those attorneys were selected to take over legal duties.

By Charles Sercombe
Recently, the Hamtramck Board of Education hired a new set of attorneys.
But the board did not make public what the cost will be for legal services.
In response, The Review filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get copies of contracts for the following legal services:
• Thrun Law Firm– Special Education
• Clark Hill – Special Education
• Miller-Canfield – Financial and Election
• Miller-Johnson – HR and General
As it turned out, the district responded that there are no contracts, nor was there a request by the district for legal firms to submit bids to be hired.
At a board meeting in February, Boardmember Salah Hadwan repeatedly asked who made the decision to select which attorneys to hire that were on that meeting’s agenda.
Board President Jihan Aiyash said it’s within her authority as president to create the agenda.
“That’s your opinion,” Hadwan shot back, to which Aiyash replied: “No, that’s my role.”
The Review reached out to Aiyash and district Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed by email for an explanation on how the law firms were chosen to be on the board’s agenda, but they did not respond.
It is the board’s own policy to keep the public informed of its operations.
According to policy section 9120: “The Board of Education believes that all reasonable means should be employed to keep the public informed on matters of importance regarding District policies, finances, programs, personnel, and operations.”
Since 2020, the district has spent almost $1 million on legal fees. The district is facing about a dozen lawsuits, most of which have been filed by former employees, and also by some current employees who are out on paid suspension.
Included in that list of lawsuits is one filed by Superintendent Ahmed against the district, the teachers’ union and several past and present board of education members after she was placed on paid suspension in 2022.
In her lawsuit, Ahmed alleges defamation, a conspiracy to fire her, and violating various federal discrimination laws.
Ahmed’s lawsuit is still pending.
Ahmed is currently on her second paid medical leave since originally being appointed as superintendent. She is scheduled to return sometime this month, although there is a question whether she actually will return.
In the meantime, the district is being run by an interim superintendent.
Posted April 19, 2024