Board of Education once again takes the month off despite state law

The Hamtramck Board of Education is not meeting this month despite a state law requiring all boards of education to meet at least once a month. The reason for the canceling the monthly meeting? None was given. File photo

By Charles Sercombe
Once again, the Hamtramck Board of Education has decided to take a summer vacation this month, and not hold any meetings.
The board usually holds its regular meeting every month, as well as a committee of the whole meeting, with the exception of July.
However, state law (MCL 380.11a part 6) requires all boards of education to meet at least once a month.
Violating this law carries a fine of up to $500 and/or a $500 fine for each board member.
The state Michigan Department of Education does not enforce the law, but the Hamtramck Police Department or the state Attorney General’s Office can pursue the matter.
Also, anyone who is an “aggrieved party” can file a lawsuit to compel the board to follow the law.
The Review reached out to Interim Superintendent James Larson-Shidler and Board President Jihan Aiyash for comment but neither responded.
Toni Coral, the president of the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers, said the board should at the very least meet once this month “so new hires can be approved. That would allow for a more smooth orientation process. The board is making a hefty stipend and one July meeting would send a small signal that they are earning their pay.”
This isn’t the first time the board has violated state law regarding meeting monthly. Last year, the board failed to meet three months out of the year, including in July.
That record prompted the district’s teachers’ union to hold a rally outside the district’s administrative office, to bring the matter to light and demand the board do its job.
For over a year, one board member, Regan Watson, has not attended meetings at all after she was stripped of her position as board treasurer.
For the last few months, Boardmember Salah Hadwan has also not attended, apparently also in protest after the board threatened to strip him of the title of vice president.
Hadwan voluntarily stepped down from that position before the board could vote on the matter. He later told The Review that the reason for his no-shows is “due to the board’s ongoing blatant violations of the OMA (Open Meetings Act), and lack of inclusion on any district matters.”
Besides the inner-board squabbling, all of this comes at a time of further turmoil for the district.
For the past two years the district has had a series of interim superintendents, as Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed has taken months-long medical leaves, at one point being placed on paid suspension for several months, then coming back to once again take a medical leave.
Ahmed’s status is now unknown, other than that she is paid to be superintendent while an interim superintendent is currently in charge.
The district has refused to say when Ahmed will be coming back to work — if at all.
The district also failed, twice, to convince voters to pass a millage renewal, and yet is attempting to get voters to approve three millage renewals this fall.
The chances of that happening appear to be slim, if past millage results are an indication, which could then result in the loss of millions of dollars.
In the meantime, the district is facing 18 lawsuits, including one by Superintendent Ahmed herself.
Posted July 12, 2024