As the budget crisis in Dearborn schools deepens, as tempers flare and public debates intensify, we must remind ourselves how important it is to stop the bickering and the finger pointing and focus on working together as one city to find a viable solution to this crisis. After all, it is about our kids and our future. Dearborn schools are not the only entity that was hit by budget cuts. Look around you, everyone knows people who lost their jobs, were downsized, or had to take salary cuts, whether in the public or private sector. Employees of the state and many cities are being forced to take unpaid furlough dates and pay cuts in order to meet budget requirements.

Because of state budget cuts, Dearborn schools have been forced to lay off teachers. It is thus not surprising to witness a surge in rumors and accusations and finger pointing. However, in the midst of all of this, our community should avoid being dragged into a fight that is not based in real facts. As we ride out this storm, we have to keep our heads above water and not be victims of lies and stories spread by people with personal vendettas. Some are trying to turn their personal problems into a community cause, while others are trying to make us forget who our real friends are, or the amount of progress we have made in the last few years in Dearborn schools. The Arab communityy shouldn’t be gullible and believe everything we hear. We have already been accused at the last board meeting by Christine Carter, a teacher in our schools, of being a segment of the community that is “easily manipulated.” We are not!

Let’s keep in mind the following facts:

1. The cuts are imposed by the State of Michigan. As the state budget shrinks, so does the amount of money sent to all school districts. The cuts were not caused by the administration, the teachers, the superintendent or the school board.

2. Our district has already made significant budget cuts in recent years and they did not all involve laying off staff but innovative ideas to save money.

3. Because more than 85% of the total budget is people, major budget cuts inevitably include staff reduction.

4. Staff layoffs are governed by union contracts. There are several unions in Dearborn schools. The teachers’ union (DFT) has the most members and is the largest dollar item in the budget.

5. School administration and board members cannot make any changes to the salaries and benefits of teachers except through contract negotiation with the DFT. The DFT has the right to not accept concessions in steps and increases or other benefits, and they recently exercised that right. Unfortunately, the consequence of such rejection is to lay off teachers, to the detriment of our kids.

6. Teachers’ layoffs are based on seniority according to their union contract. The school board and the superintendent do not get to choose which teachers get laid off.

7. The number of Arab American teachers and administrators in Dearborn schools has significantly increased over the last few years, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, this means that when the layoffs hit, more Arab and Muslim families suffer because they have less seniority.

8. When the DFT makes a decision, it listens to its leadership and its most involved members. The DFT leadership and negotiating team who rejected the proposed concessions are not necessarily the “junior” members of the union who are the ones who will be laid off. This is an important dynamic that all teachers must be aware of when they listen to more senior members’ criticism of the administration or the board. Arab teachers, especially those who aren’t happy with the current situation, must be more involved in their union in order for their voice to be heard. In America, if you are not involved with the system, some of your rights can be taken away, even if you complain the loudest.

9. Every citizen has the right to request and obtain information about teachers’ salaries in public schools. These numbers are not secret. So when a school board member makes it public that the average teacher in Dearborn has a total compensation package of nearly $100,000, it is not the messenger that we need to go after. Attacking the board member doesn’t address the issue. I for one think that many teachers deserve this pay and more, but so do the rest of us who work hard at our jobs. But where do we find the money? Of course, everyone can put a spin on what the numbers mean. Is a 9.5% step per year an increase or a cost of living adjustment? Is health care a benefit or a compensation? How do you factor being paid during the summer months off? etc… What matters is what our schools ultimately spend per teacher, because this is what goes in the budget.

10. Since other school employees and the administration, union and non union, already took cuts, it is only fair to ask school board members to cut “their salary” too as some are saying. They already did about two months ago. Regardless of how many meetings or events they attend or how many hours they spend working on school issues, school board members get compensated about $10,000 per YEAR (with NO BENEFITS). Like them or not, they are performing a public service. Even if they eliminated their compensation entirely, the total annual savings would be about $70,000. This is not how we solve a multi-million dollars crisis. It sounds good but it doesn’t lead anywhere but to misinformation, hard feelings and personal attacks.

11. Under no circumstance does the administration or the board target their cuts against Arabs or the east end. It is not legal or practical and it is not happening because this is not how business is done at Ten Eyck today. Our community struggled for years to ensure equal treatment and that includes in good times and bad times.

12. The rumor that the bilingual program is being eliminated or cut is false and is meant to stir emotions in the Arab community. In fact, while general fund para pros are being cut, bilingual para pros are not because they are paid from a separate specific fund.

I have had my share of disagreements with the administration and board for over a decade. I have opposed them on some major projects and worked with them on others. I have invited our community to board meetings and protests and successfully campaigned against school proposals when they were ill conceived. My lack of protest this time around is because protest is unproductive. We all are in this together. Let’s stop the blame and protests and speak up only when we have a solution or a proposal. Let’s look around us because we don’t live in a bubble. Many many people we know have been laid off or took concessions. I am a pro union person and always have been. I cordially invite members of the different unions at the schools to make proposals instead of simply criticizing or refusing to make any concession. I trust our teachers at the end of the day will say and do what is right. They, like the rest of us, would like to focus on providing quality education for our future generation. Let’s stick together and hope to weather the storm collectively and make sure our ship doesn’t sink all the way. “Find another way” is not a solution, but simply a complaint.