For Michigan Newspapers, Disaster Always Stalks Public Schools – Michigan Capitol Confidential

For Michigan Newspapers, Disaster Always Stalks Public Schools – Michigan Capitol Confidential

• Sky-is-falling headlines have been common since the 1950s

"The state of Michigan is driving schools into bankruptcy, and even more public school districts will soon be broke."

Those statement may resemble some recent Michigan newspaper headlines, like those attached to a report that for 25 years Michigan schools have been dead last nationwide in state revenue growth. 
But in this instance, the headline appeared above an opinion piece in a November 2009 edition of the Lansing State Journal.

The author was Donald Sovey, then the associate superintendent for business at Charlotte Public Schools. 
His op-ed carried the headline, “State is driving schools to bankruptcy.”

Sovey predicted that 86 districts would be bankrupt by June 30, 2010. 
[Editor’s note: There were 43 districts in deficit in 2010; the Michigan Department of Education projects that when the final 2018 figures are in, just 10 districts will have spent more than they took in, the lowest number in deficit shown in online department records that date back to 1989.]

...Detroit Free Press. The headline was simply, “Bankrupt Schools,” followed by this first paragraph:

“The alarm cry has gone up from many of the state’s school districts, particularly those of the smaller cities, towns and rural communities, that unless drastic steps are quickly taken to bail them out of serious financial difficulties, many schools face the prospect of early closing.”

The writer added: “This situation, unfortunately, is not just the old ‘wolf’ cry which often presages demands for larger appropriations.”

That article was from Dec. 7, 1952.

In the nearly 70 years since then, public schools and their allies have rarely stopped crying ‘wolf,’ which can be seen in these Michigan news and opinion articles:

• The Herald-Palladium--May 23, 2007  Headline: “Wake Up Michigan — Save Our Schools”

Much more hysteria, read all!