Detroit ordered to close half its schools to wipe out deficit... sending class sizes up to 60 students



Half of Detroit's schools are set to close in order to wipe out the district's $327million deficit by 2014.



The four-year plan was submitted last month by Robert Bobb, the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools (DPS).

It was seen as the final resolution if the district failed to find new revenue sources and so far it hasn't.

Slashed: Robert Bobb, the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, is looking to downsize the number of schools to 72 from 142 pushing class sizes up to 60 students

Mr Bobb is now looking to downsize the number of schools to 72 schools from 142 and the financial restructuring will likely increase the average high school class to 60 students.

He said the strategy was ill-advised because it was likely to drive students away, depriving the district of much-needed state funds - a veritable catch-22 situation.

Despite this state officials approved the plan earlier this month, but it only became public knowledge today.

Decision: The plan, proposed by Mr Bobb, was seen as the final resolution if the district failed to find new revenue sources - so far it hasn't

'This is the route we're forced to take under state law,' Steven Wasko, a spokesman for DPS said.



'However we continue to look for longer-term plans so we can avoid this. Robert Bobb has eliminated over $500million of budget requests in his short two years here. But we still have these additional cuts to make.'



The Detroit Federation of Teachers has hit back against the state's decision, calling for an emergency lobbying in the state capital of Lansing tomorrow to protest against bills like Mr Bobb's.

They argue that emergency financial managers have the power to axe union contracts, dissolve school boards and set wage and benefit levels without debate.



'Everybody knows that this deficit elimination plan was a plan that was put on the table that was never supposed to see the light of day,' school board president Anthony Adams told Fox News.



'I know it's a very ugly topic to talk about increasing the taxation, especially at a time when most people are suffering, but I think voters in the City of Detroit have always showed a propensity to fund education,' he added.