DETROIT -- An advocate for Detroit's school children offered a very succinct and blunt assessment Thursday on a version of the Detroit Public Schools rescue package approved by the state House in the early morning hours.

"The House just gave Detroit the finger," Rev. Wendell Anthony, co-chair for the Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren, said in a statement Thursday morning, a few hours after the state House at 4:30 a.m. passed a set of bills that differed from the Senate's $715 million plan to restart the school district, debt-free.

"We're calling for Gov. Snyder to put a stop to this. He should know by now what happens when you let an entire city be poisoned for the financial benefit of a few."

The coalition held a press conference Thursday morning to denounce the legislation, which would provide $500 million in debt-relief.

The bills would also strengthen penalties against teachers who participate in strikes.

That component was added to the final version of the legislation after Detroit teachers staged sick-out protests after being told they might not be paid in May and June.

The coalition on Thursday said the House is "appealing to a small group of corporate donors at the expense of 100,000 children."

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement issued Thursday that the legislation passed by the House "will inevitably repeat the tragic mistakes of 2009," when the state put Detroit Public Schools under emergency management without a plan to improve education.

"In the last two weeks, I met with numerous members of the House of Representatives who had thoughtful ideas on how to make sure that, this time, the transition of DPS has a realistic chance of success. Unfortunately, those ideas did not end up in the final bills," Duggan said.



"The state can't just throw up its hands and give up in frustration, passing a bill that has no chance of providing educational success for Detroit's children. I urge Governor Snyder and the Republican and Democratic leadership in Lansing to work to resolve the differences in these bills so that this time we get a result that truly improves our children's achievement in the classroom."

Duggan said Senate Bills 710 and 711 were "a thoughtful attempt to prevent this kind of tragedy from repeating itself when the schools are returned to the Detroit School Board... They provided the funding necessary to give DPS a real chance of a successful transition. Just as critically, the Senate Bills provided a tool for real reform in Detroit's classrooms."

Dan Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, issued a release that applauded the House version of the legislation, which cut out measures meant to tighten regulation of charter schools in Detroit.

"We're gratified to see the House tackle the tough issues facing Detroit Public Schools while at the same time protecting the best interests of parents and students," Quisenberry said. "This legislation is a significant step forward as we look to solve the problems facing Detroit's schools.

"We're glad that legislators listened to parents in Detroit who told them that a DEC (Detroit Education Commission) was not a solution and didn't include it in their plan. We hope this package of legislation moves forward so that as a state, we can continue to move all schools in Michigan in a positive direction."

A Detroit Education Commission under the Senate package would have overseen all public schools in the city, including charters.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers called the House legislation (despicable) in a joint statement with the American Federation of Teachers, which skewered the legislation.

Said Detroit Federation of Teachers Interim President Ivy Bailey: "The partisan bills forced through in the dead of night by Speaker Kevin Cotter are some of the most despicable anti-student, anti-public school, anti-teacher provisions we've seen in America," Bailey said.

"Make no mistake: These bills discriminate against Detroit's children -- who are overwhelmingly economically disadvantaged children and children of color -- and are designed explicitly to punish teachers who speak up on behalf of their students and themselves...By eliminating teacher voice, House Republicans strip away our ability to advocate for children, who have been failed by our leaders in Lansing."

View an outline of the schools package and the 15-hour marathon session that led to its early-morning approval here.'

Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter.