June 23rd 2026 Regular meeting
PAACT BOARD RECAP
June 23, 2026 Regular Meeting
What Was New
Public comment
Public comment ran long and covered three threads. We report what speakers said at the podium and attribute claims to them. We do not adjudicate any of it.
Beverly Elementary multicultural night
Two speakers addressed an incident at the April multicultural night at Beverly Elementary. Amer Zahr, an attorney and a board member of the Arab-American Civil Rights League, spoke first on behalf of parent Leila Balbul, and noted he also serves on the Dearborn Public Schools board but was not there in that capacity. He said the principal and the superintendent issued statements before any investigation, statements he characterized as implying the mothers involved had sought to deceive and intimidate, and he said the family cooperated fully with the investigation that followed.
Balbul then spoke for herself. She described being doxxed, having her employer contacted, and her children being harassed afterward, including her ten-year-old son being questioned by older boys at a neighborhood park and another child being called an anti-Semitic slur. She said she filed a police report. She said the stickers at the center of the incident were bought on Amazon and advertised as kid and school friendly, called it an innocent mistake that could have happened to anyone, and asked the district to state the facts plainly.
PAACT
Three speakers from PAACT introduced the coalition to the board for the first time. Founder Betsy McDaniel described PAACT as parents with children in all thirteen schools, said the group had spent months reading policy and filing records requests to understand how the district works in practice, and framed its ask as partnership and honest communication rather than blame. She anchored that in the district's own language, the strategic plan's opening commitment to work in partnership with parents and the community, and the code of ethics commitment to listen to those who communicate with the board. Katherine Brooks spoke on policy and student safety and made the case that consistent, clearly communicated policy is what lets families trust and partner with the system. Jennifer Forest spoke as a parent whose own experience in the district has been positive, and said she is involved because she keeps hearing concerns from other families and would rather help the district get it right for everyone.
Cell phone and device policy
Continuing the device-policy comment from June 16, two speakers from Mothers Against Media Addiction urged a full restriction. Sahar Omrani Eid, a MAMA chapter lead, argued that Michigan's new law sets a floor rather than a true bell-to-bell ban and pressed for phones stored at arrival and protected, phone-free lunch and passing periods, citing university research on the cognitive cost of a phone's mere presence. Melissa Hayes, also of MAMA, urged a consistent bell-to-bell policy across all grade levels paired with real enforcement tools such as lockable pouches, and said an on-paper restriction is not enough if phones are still present in practice.
First Reading, No Vote
Wireless device policy
The deputy superintendent walked the board through a first reading of an updated wireless device policy (policy 2006), which stems from the law Governor Whitmer signed in February amending the revised school code. As we noted June 16, the open question had been the high school lunch period. The recommendation now on the table is that JK through 8 students are prohibited from wireless communication devices throughout the school day, and that 9 through 12 students may use their devices during lunch in designated areas. This was a first reading only. No vote was taken.
The point that drew the most board discussion was how far the policy reaches beyond cell phones. As written, it covers personal laptops, smartwatches, smart glasses, AirPods, tablets, and similar devices. For high school that means students would generally use district-owned devices during the day rather than bringing their own, unless they qualify for a legal exemption such as a documented medical need, a 504 plan, or an IEP. Passing time counts as instructional time, so devices are restricted then as well. A teacher may permit a personal device for a specific lesson with a stated instructional reason, communicated ahead of time, because the law requires that use to be lesson specific. Administration said the district has enough district-owned devices and that students will have new ones next fall, and that emergency access will be addressed in the emergency operations plan over the summer. Trustees were split on the lunch question and several asked how enforcement would land on teachers. The recommendation returns for further action at a later meeting.
E-News survey on high school lunch access
433 parent and guardian respondents · about 35% yes, 61% no, 4% unsure
High school parents specifically (125 of the 433): about 51% yes, 44.5% no
35 students responded · about 91% yes · overall across all groups, roughly 59% no
Formal Action
The votes
Detail on the budget, bond, and OCSBA items is in our June 16 recap. Here is how each resolution landed.
| Resolution | What it does | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| 84: Social studies materials | World History, U.S. History, Economics, and Government instructional materials. Removed from the agenda and held to the July regular meeting for more time to review the materials. | Removed 7–0 |
| 81: Consent agenda | Standard documents, minutes, memberships, and the personnel report. | 7–0 |
| 82: Diplomas, Groves | Awards diplomas to Groves High School graduates. | 7–0 |
| 83: Diplomas, Seaholm | Awards diplomas to Seaholm High School graduates. | 7–0 |
| 85: Budget amendment #2 | Closes out the FY2026 general fund budget. One trustee voted no, citing the current-year use of fund balance. | 6–1 |
| 86: FY2027 budget | Adopts the 2026–2027 general budget and appropriations act. | 7–0 |
| 87: Midvale design | Authorizes $970,000 for architectural and engineering design for the Midvale Early Childhood Center, funded from remaining current bond proceeds. Construction would be funded by the new bond if voters approve it. | 7–0 |
| 88: Bond certification | Certifies the up-to-$240 million school facilities and safety bond for the November 3 ballot. | 7–0 |
| 89: Meeting notices | Sets the board meeting schedule for 2026–2027. | 7–0 |
| OCSBA resolution | Opposes tying any school funding to a waiver of attorney-client privilege. | 7–0 |
| OCSBA bylaws | Two bylaw amendments on board appointments and committee leadership. Both approved. | 7–0 |
One item worth flagging from the consent agenda. The personnel report approved within Resolution 81 includes the nine BEA layoffs discussed alongside the FY2027 budget on June 16, all with an August 31, 2026 effective date. Seven are teachers, one is an ASD behavior consultant, and one is a board certified behavior analyst. They were approved as part of the consent agenda rather than as a separate vote.
On The Calendar
Coming up
The social studies materials return for a vote at the July regular meeting. On the bond, certified ballot language is due to the Oakland County Clerk by 4:00 p.m. on August 11, with the election on November 3. Administration plans to begin a facility utilization study with a committee forming in August. The state had not yet passed a school aid budget, and administration urged the public to contact legislators about passing it. Every regular meeting and study session includes public comment.
