Farmington Schools Parent Opposes Bond Tax Increase

Farmington Hills resident and Aug. 6 Farmington Public Schools bond opponent Kerry Jackson is not one to complain and then do nothing

Because he cannot support the $222 million question, Jackson said, he paid for a postcard mailing and automated or "robo" calls out of his own pocket. The information was labeled as coming from an organization he founded called Farmington Citizens United.

Jackson said he wishes he had not attached the group's name to the effort. 

"The purpose of Farmington Citizens United was not supposed to be one issue," he said.

The group was formed to host forums with speakers on both sides of issues like having a part-time legislature. Jackson said he also has invited people on both sides of previous elections to a breakfast the morning after election day, so everyone could come together and move forward. 

Jackson wonders if that will be possible the Wednesday after this election. He said that since he started voicing opposition, he has been stripped of his leadership role in the Farmington African American Parent Network, and people with whom he felt he had a good relationship have distanced themselves. 

The day after an article about him appeared in the Farmington Observer, Jackson said, he found a dead rat on his doorstep. 

None of that has changed his mind about what he believes is an over-reach by the school district. The bond would initially raise the district's debt millage from 2.56 mills to 4 mills, a more than 50 percent increase. 

District officials have said that the millage rate will decrease over time, resulting in an average 2.62 mills over the life of the bond, and that the district's debt millage will remain lower than many Oakland and Wayne County districts. 

After examining information on the district's website, Jackson said, he can see the need for $90 million in building repairs.

"I would be the first one to support $90 million to fix those problems," he said. "Some people will complain about salaries, that's not my complaint. If you want good people, you pay them."

Jackson said the way officials decided on the amount of the bond doesn't make sense to him. "Tell me how much it costs to fix the roof ... not, 'give me $222 million, and we'll take care of things as we need to'," he said. 

New furnishings are great, he said, but he doesn't see what they have to do with educating children. School districts are not evaluated on looks, but on how well they education kids.

And while Jackson understands the need to fix issues with older buildings, "it does not cost a quarter billion dollars to fix water mains," he said. He'd like to see specific amounts for roof replacement, artificial turn replacement and other items on the bond proposal lists. 

The father of three, Jackson said he has had mixed experiences with Farmington schools. While his son did well at Highmeadow Common Campus, his daughter struggled at Warner (then a middle school) after doing well in Southfield Public Schools. She eventually graduated from a private school, where her grades improved.

Jackson said he plans a Farmington Citizen United forum that tackles what's going on in Farmington Public Schools and what other school districts are doing to better educate students. He is also looking at a run for school board.

"On Wednesday, there's going to be some people whose feelings are hurt, and they're going to hold a grudge," he said. "I would like to put it behind us. Otherwise, there's courts and campaigns."