Detroit school board rescinds February termination, approves limited back pay

The Detroit Public Schools Community District board voted during its March meeting to rescind a termination approved at the Feb. 11 board meeting and to authorize payment of compensation and benefits for the employee from Feb. 12 through March 11, 2025.

Board member Sherry Gaye D—Aniego moved to rescind the February termination; Vice Chair Latrice McClendon seconded the motion. After a short roll call the motion carried when the board president called for the vote and members responded "Aye." The motion and vote followed a closed-session discussion the board had convened earlier in the meeting to consider the matter.

Board members who requested the closed session said the employee had argued he had not been given adequate opportunity to request a closed session at the prior meeting and that the Human Resources and FMLA timelines merited review. Board members discussed whether the Open Meetings Act permitted the closed session and whether the employee had requested it; the board proceeded after confirming the employee had asked to meet in closed session.

Superintendent Michael (M.) Beatty (referred to in the meeting as Doctor Beatty) and staff reviewed the timeline during closed session; board members asked for clarity about internal communication among HR and the district—s leave administration. After emerging from closed session the board approved the rescission motion and the related payment authorization.

The board recorded the action publicly after returning to open session. No further disciplinary details were released in the open meeting; the board limited its public remarks to the motion and the vote. The district cited confidentiality and personnel privacy when declined to release specific investigative details during the meeting.

The decision ends the termination recorded in the minutes from the Feb. 11 meeting and restores the employee—s compensation and benefits for the stated period, as the board directed.