We Saved CFA!
by Stefanie T. Stauffer
Maybe it was Danny Glover coming to CFA. Maybe it was Rachel Maddow’s recent coverage. Maybe it was the CFA students who got arrested in front of their children at the sit-in in April. Maybe it was the ‘Save Catherine Ferguson Academy’ Facebook group that started last week and rapidly got 1600 supporters. Maybe it was the Detroit Free Press finally covering the story. Maybe it was this column I wrote for the June issue: Adventures in Local Food Who knows? But one thing that’s certain is that on Thursday we saved CFA from being closed!
With the news arriving one hour before Thursday’s rally, the atmosphere at CFA turned quickly from one of frustration to jubilation. Students celebrated their school remaining open—dancing to the beat of the drummers from Henry Ford High marching band, while the principal and teachers teared up listening to their students speak about the importance of their school. At the same time, supporters arriving at the rally could not believe they had actually won this battle to save CFA.
And it is an amazing accomplishment. But I was quickly reminded by many of the teachers that this is only the first victory in the fight for CFA. According to the agreement made with emergency financial manager Roy Roberts, Catherine Ferguson will now become a charter school with Principal Andrews remaining at the helm. This outcome is far from ideal for the teachers however since there is no guarantee that Evans Solutions, the charter company that will now run CFA, will re-hire them. For now though they are remaining cautiously optimistic about the fate of Catherine Ferguson and have been assured that the farm will stay. So, hurray for CFA!! (and let’s hope it will still be open 10 years from today).
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