The Grosse Pointe school board votes to close two elementary schools and approved a class reconfiguration for the district in a downsizing plan in which race has entered the picture.
The vote to close Poupard and Trombly elementary schools was 5-2.
The reconfiguration will result in the move of all fifth grade students to three middle schools starting in the 2020-21 school year.
The vote came after state civil rights director Agustin Arbulu urged the board to adopt a “racially conscious” approach.
Poupard is mostly black. It’s near I-94. Those who wanted to close Poupard say the school’s proximity to the freeway makes safety a factor.
3 board members have been targeted for recall as the result of the school closings. They are Judy Gafa, Kathleen Abke and Christopher Profeta.
Grosse Pointe school enrollment has declined for years.