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Buena Vista school district could be headed down the path to an emergency manager

Steve Carmody
/
Michigan Radio

A Saginaw area school district that's closed its doors has now asked the state to review its finances.

That's the first step toward a state appointed emergency manager.

But the move does not guarantee the District's 400 students will be back in class anytime soon.

The Buena Vista school board heard from parents and students last night, angry about the abrupt and apparent early end of the school year.

“If we don’t get these kids back in school…we’re going to be the ones who destroyed their lives,” one upset father told the school board. 

The board approved a new deficit elimination plan. School board president Randy Jackson says it calls for all the districts 400 K through 12 students to move into the high school next year.

“The state was asking for more…you got to do more….you got to do better….and in order to do better…we have to do a lot more….which was close the other two schools,” says Jackson.  

It remains unclear if the district will resume classes this year.

Jackson says Buena Vista needs the state’s help to reopen the schools this month.

“Our students need to come back to school here. They need to finish out the school year here,” says Jackson,  “And again…we can deal with the financials over the summer.”

In Lansing, Gov. Rick Snyder said Thursday that his administration is working to resolve the crisis.

Snyder's comments came after Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee of Flint called on the Republican governor to use his authority to obtain emergency funds. Michigan has withheld aid to the district to recoup a previous overpayment.

One bit of good news, the district does plan to hold graduation ceremonies for 25 seniors.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting.
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