Detroit charter school says it has fired Sharon McPhail

McPhail refuses to leave her position

DETROIT – Former Detroit City Councilwoman Sharon McPhail was fired as the chief administrative officer of a Detroit charter school.

UPDATESharon McPhail fights firing from school in court

Bay Mills Community College, the authorizer for Detroit Community Schools made the decision. However, McPhail is refusing to leave her position.

McPhail said Bay Mills has no authority to fire her and that she has legal action pending against the college.

Bay Mills said it does and will get a court order to remove her from the position.

McPhail was fired because of  a fight over her superintendent credentials -- a fight that’s been ongoing for two years. Right now, according to Bay Mills, fines over this fight are now over $200,000. 

The school is unable to get financing because of McPhail's credentialing issue.

The Michigan Board of Education says McPhail does not have her administrator certification and the school is not in compliance with the law. Bay Mills Community College let the school know on Sept. 25 it would be revoking DCS’s charter contract.

Questions have also been raised over people McPhail has hired.

Former Judge Sylvia James, who was booted from the bench in Inkster by the Michigan Supreme Court, is the dean of students.

READSharon McPhail due in court after being fired, refusing to leave

William Coleman, former Detroit public schools head, is in charge of finances. Coleman was pushed out of Detroit public schools and reached a plea deal in 2008 in connection with a bribery scandal in Dallas schools.


About the Authors:

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.