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School District of the City of Pontiac

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This article is about the district in Michigan. For districts in Illinois, see Pontiac Community Consolidated School District 429 and Pontiac Township High School District 90.

The School District of the City of Pontiac (also known as the Pontiac School District) is a public school district in Metro Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan, serving Pontiac, most of Auburn Hills, Lake Angelus and Sylvan Lake, and small portions of Bloomfield Township, Orion Township, Waterford, and West Bloomfield.[1]

History

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In the 1960s the student body increased and the school district used high salaries to recruit teachers as the automobile industry economy prospered.[2][3]

A February 1970 court order from federal judge Damon J. Keith ordered racial integration effective fall 1970 to ameliorate de facto racial segregation.[4] According to the court order, no more than 40% of each school was to be African-American. The busing was to affect 10,000 students. In August 1971 several school buses were bombed with dynamite, and ten men were indicted in charges related to the incidents; one of them was an ex-Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon in the state. On October 25, 1971 the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear an opposition to the court order, keeping it in effect.[5]

The busing order contributed to area racial tensions. That, along with an increase in unemployment, a loss of political support for school taxation due to an increase of the average age of the residents, financially harmed the district. As of 1981 20% of the area's residents were 65 and older, and a total of 58% of the community residents were at least 46 years of age; residents voted down tax millage proposals on eight occasions during the years 1979 to 1981. There was a 23% unemployment rate as of 1981. From 1972 to circa 1982 the enrollment declined from 21,028 to 17,216. In 1981 extracurricular activities were sharply reduced, and several athletes left the district due to the loss of athletic programs; they attended public schools in other school districts and private schools.[2]

In June 2013 the Michigan Education Association's health insurance division stated that it was owed $11 million in premiums from the Pontiac district, so it planned to end benefits for teachers of the district on July 31 of that year; according to a lawsuit settlement, taxpayers in the district were required to pay $7.8 million of it. Administrators, secretaries, and teachers had been paying over 20% of their health care premiums out of pocket.[6]

On Wednesday July 3, 2013 the state of Michigan conducted a preliminary review of the district, and the result was an indication of "probable financial stress". Governor of Michigan Rick Snyder stated that he was going to have a full review of the district conducted by a team appointed by him.[7]

The 2021 Board of Education consists of - Gill Garrett - President, Kenyada Bowman - Vice-President, William A. Carrington - Trustee, Caroll Y. Turpin - Trustee, Shaquana Davis-Smith-Treasurer, Michael McGuinness -Secretary and Kevin Groce - Trustee. Kelley Williams is the Superintendent.

Demographics

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In 1971 the district had 24,000 students, with 32% of them being black.[5] In 1972-1973 there were 21,028. In the 1980-1981 school year the student body numbered 18,099. This declined to 17,216 students in 1982, with 27% of the students receiving welfare and a total of 37% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunches, a sign of poverty. A principal of an elementary school, Mattie McKinney, stated to the Associated Press that, in the agency's words, "The district's poverty is unusually striking this school year", and she directly stated that she had encountered more poverty in her students than she had previously.[2] The district enrollment was projected to further decrease after 1982.[2]

School uniform

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All students are required to wear school uniforms.[8] The school board considered adding uniforms in 2009.[9]

Schools

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  • Grades 9-12
  • Grades 7-8
    • Pontiac Middle School
  • Grades 6-8
    • International Technology Academy
  • Grades K-6
    • Alcott Elementary School
    • Herrington Elementary School
    • Jefferson/Whittier Elementary School
    • Owen Elementary School
    • Rogers Elementary School
    • Whitman Elementary School
    • WHRC Elementary School
  • Preschool
    • Frost Preschool (P.E.A.C.E Academy)
  • Other campuses
    • Kennedy Center

Former schools

By December 2008 administrators were making plans to consolidate Pontiac Northern and Central high schools.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Maps: School Districts: Pontiac City School District" (PDF). Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "MICHIGAN'S TROUBLES HIT HIGH SCHOOLS IN PONTIAC". The New York Times. January 14, 1982. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  3. ^ Murray, Diana Dillaber. "Law being proposed could dissolve Pontiac schools, other struggling districts." Oakland Press. June 12, 2013. Retrieved on May 7, 2014. "Pontiac school district spreads from Pontiac into portions of seven surrounding communities including Auburn Hills, Sylvan Lake, Lake Angeles and townships of Bloomfield, Orion, Waterford and West Bloomfield."
  4. ^ "U.S. Judge Orders Integration Of All Schools in Pontiac, Mich". The New York Times. February 18, 1970. Retrieved May 6, 2018. The decision is another in the few but controversial court efforts to integrate Northern schools where housing patterns rather than law are said to cause school segregation. Last week Los Angeles schools were ordered integrated.
  5. ^ a b Graham, Fred P. (October 27, 1971). "JUSTICES REBUFF PONTIAC ON BUSING". The New York Times. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  6. ^ "Unpaid premiums could cost employees health coverage at struggling Pontiac schools." MLive. June 25, 2013. Retrieved on May 7, 2014.
  7. ^ AlHajal, Khalil. "Distressed Pontiac school district could be next Michigan community to be taken over by state." MLive. July 3, 2013. Retrieved on May 7, 2014.
  8. ^ "UNIFORM AND APPEARANCE POLICY Archived 2011-10-18 at the Wayback Machine." School District of the City of Pontiac. Retrieved on October 9, 2011.
  9. ^ "Oakland County news briefs." Detroit Free Press. June 24, 2009. A4 Metro. Retrieved on November 27, 2011.
  10. ^ a b DIANA DILLABER MURRAYOf The Oakland Press (December 17, 2008). "Pontiac Central to close?". The Oakland Press. Retrieved August 17, 2012. (Archive)
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