Signing the PAACT means you're adding your name to a growing group of Birmingham Public Schools families who believe behavior standards, consistency, and transparency matter. It tells the district that this isn't one or two frustrated parents. It's a community-wide concern.

Your membership is kept private. PAACT does not share its member list with the district, school administration, or anyone outside of our leadership team.

Joining doesn't obligate you to attend meetings, speak publicly, or take any action you're not comfortable with. What it does is strengthen the coalition's credibility when we sit down with board members and administrators. The more families we represent, the harder it is for those conversations to be dismissed.

Members receive a monthly newsletter, sometimes more frequently depending on what's happening with PAACT that month. It's one of the main ways we keep families informed and connected to what's going on across the district.

We also want to hear from you. The parents in PAACT aren't just parents who are frustrated with their schools. They're parents who want to be more connected to how their children's days actually go. The more voices we have from across the district, sharing both the positive things they're seeing and the challenges, the more complete a picture we can bring to the people making decisions.

If you want to be more involved, there are ways to do that. But simply adding your name and staying informed is enough. You don't have to do anything more than that to matter to this effort.

We're still in the process of gathering information. That includes reviewing Michigan law, studying the district's Code of Conduct, and having direct conversations with board members, teachers, PTAs, and administrators to understand their perspectives on student behavior and school safety.

What we're focused on is finding ways to better utilize the policies and tools that already exist, while making sure any changes stay fully in compliance with state law. We're also looking at transparency and consistency across the district, because right now those things vary too much from building to building.

We'll have more specific recommendations to share once we've completed that groundwork but right now we are giving a voice to the problems in the classrooms that teachers and students are struggling with daily.

We support restorative practices when they're used the way they're designed to be used. The problem we're seeing is that they've become a catch-all response to almost every level of behavior, including serious and repeated incidents. A student having a conversation and writing an apology letter is a reasonable response to some things. It is not a reasonable response to a third physical assault.

The district's own Code of Conduct requires administrators to document their consideration of seven specific factors before making a discipline decision. We're asking for evidence that this is actually happening, and for a clear framework that ensures the response fits the situation, not just the path of least resistance.

No. PAACT is not affiliated with any political party, and we intend to keep it that way. We are a group of parents from across Birmingham Public Schools who believe that safe classrooms, consistent behavior standards, and transparent communication are not political issues. They are basic expectations for every child's education, regardless of where a family falls on the political spectrum.

The moment school safety and student behavior become a partisan debate, the kids lose. We're not interested in that. We're interested in building something that works for every family in this district, and that only happens when the conversation stays focused on children and schools, not politics.

PAACT is not asking for uniform enforcement in a one-size-fits-all sense. Federal law already requires that students with IEPs and 504 plans receive individualized consideration in disciplinary proceedings, and we fully support that. It's the law, it's appropriate, and it's not something we're looking to change.

What we are asking for is clarity and consistency in how the Code of Conduct is written and communicated, so that every student, family, and staff member understands what behavior is expected and what the general range of consequences looks like. Right now, the Code uses the same disciplinary language for infractions that are dramatically different in severity. That vagueness doesn't just affect typical students. It actually makes things harder for the educators working with students who have IEPs, because there's no clear baseline to work from when individual plans are built.

Here's something worth knowing: some of the most vocal voices in support of PAACT have been paraprofessionals who work directly with IEP students. They're not raising concerns about the students they support. They're raising concerns about what's happening in the broader classroom environment around those students. Disruption, unsafe behavior, and lack of clear response protocols affect everyone, including the students who most depend on a calm and structured learning space.

We're not trying to remove nuance from the system. We're trying to build a foundation that actually supports nuance. Clear standards and clearer communication make individualized plans work better, not worse.

These are two different laws that serve different purposes, and knowing which one applies to your situation makes a real difference.

FOIA -- the Freedom of Information Act -- is a public records law. In Michigan, it gives any member of the public the right to request documents, data, and records from government agencies, including public school districts. You do not need to be a parent. You do not need a reason. You just need to ask in writing. FOIA is how PAACT requests things like discipline data, incident reports, and policy documents from Birmingham Public Schools.

FERPA -- the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act -- is a federal law that protects the privacy of individual student records. It gives parents the right to review their own child's educational records and to request corrections if something is inaccurate. It also restricts what schools can share about individual students with other people. FERPA is why a school cannot hand over another student's records in response to a FOIA request -- student names and identifying information are protected.

The short version: FOIA is how you get district-wide information. FERPA is how you access and protect your own child's records.

A FOIA request does not require a lawyer or a formal process. Here is how to do it.

Step 1 -- Know what you're asking for. Be as specific as you can. "All discipline records for 2023-2024 at ______ school, by incident type and outcome" will get you further than "discipline information." You do not need to know the exact name of a document -- describe what you want.

Step 2 -- Submit your request in writing. BPS accepts FOIA requests by email (FOIARequest@birmingham.k12.mi.us) or mail. Address your request to the FOIA Coordinator at Birmingham Public Schools, 31301 Evergreen Rd, Beverly Hills, MI 48025. You can also email the district directly. State clearly that you are submitting a FOIA request and describe the records you want.

Step 3 -- Wait for a response. Under Michigan law, the district has 5 business days to respond. They can grant the request, deny it with a written explanation, or ask for a 10-business-day extension. If they deny it, they must tell you why -- and you have the right to appeal.

Step 4 -- Review what you receive. Records that include individual student names or identifying information will be redacted to comply with FERPA. That is normal and expected. You should still receive the underlying data with that information removed.

Step 5 -- If you're denied or get a non-response, you can appeal. You can submit a written appeal to the BPS Board of Education. If the appeal is also denied, you have the right to take the matter to circuit court.

A few practical notes: districts are allowed to charge reasonable fees for copying and staff time. You can ask for a fee estimate before they process your request. You can also ask for records in digital format, which often reduces or eliminates fees.

If you have questions or want help drafting a request, reach out to PAACT at paact.birmingham@gmail.com. We are happy to help.