Corruption, Mismanagement Closed Highland Park High; Not Insufficient 'Investment'

Some Michigan lawmakers want to reopen the failed Highland Park High School, according to a report from Michigan Radio. In 2012, the state appointed an emergency manager to run the Highland Park School District following persistent fiscal mismanagement and corruption. Subsequently, it was decided to close Highland Park High due to low enrollment.

State Rep. LaTanya Garrett, D-Detroit, is one of the lawmakers Michigan Radio says wants to reopen the high school.

“When we don’t invest in our youth, we ultimately set ourselves up to fail as a community and a state,” she said.

ForTheRecord says: Memories can be short. Highland Park’s failures had nothing to do with a lack of taxpayer “investment.” In 2011-12, the last year before a state-appointed emergency manager took over from the elected school board, the district received $15,795 per student from local, state, and federal taxpayers. That was almost double the funding of other Wayne County school districts like Garden City ($8,630 per student), Allen Park ($8,451 per student) and Plymouth Canton ($8,468 per student).