This Petition is to highlight and make the community aware of the former Thomas M. Cooley High School that’s for Sale located at 15055 Hubbell Ave., Detroit, MI 48227. This vacant Detroit Public school is now up for sale and there are potential buyers that are interested in purchasing the school. I am a Cooley High Alum and this is one of the neighborhoods that I was raised in and so was some of my family and friends.  I am active in the community and I want what’s best for the neighborhood and its people.

              Cooley High is a large piece of prime real estate that can be rehabbed to contribute to revitalization of the community or it can just make an individual, a group or company just rich off the residents without actually providing the needed supportive services. I believe that in order for a individual or company to purchase the school the buyer must have certain qualifications and there should be stipulations within the acquisition.

Such As

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•  The community should be able to vote for who they want to purchase the school and not the Detroit Board of Education because this is to benefit the residents and not the board.
• I think whomever that wants to purchase the school should be transparent of their team and intentions.
• I think that the first potential buyer’s choice should be given to a resident of the community or a Cooley High Alum because who knows what’s best for the people than those who are from the community.
• The potential buyer should disclose what they have done previously in the community if any and what are their intentions.
• The Detroit Public School Real Estate Department or Board of Education should not intervene, influence or block what the community decides.

Why I Care

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              Not only am I a Cooley High alumni , I grew up in the Cooley High neighborhood and I witness many decisions made without the residents input thus the reason why the community schools have closed, blight and crime grew and services have been removed. I believe no resident would ever have voted for their community to take a downturn because our voices did not matter to the decision makers when in fact we should be the decision makers. I feel things can be turned around for our community to allow us who has been active within the community a chance to help rebuild something that we were deprived of and was taken away from the residents.

              No person or business on the outside of the community should be given the opportunity to be put in the position to acquire Cooley High  if the residents or someone with ties to the community isn’t given the first opportunity to do so that has actually been putting in positive work.  We need a fair opportunity to be given to the residents and when the decision makers finally realize when you value your people then you will see positive change overall. If you feel that the community should have a formal community vote by social media, by ballot, by call in and or by signature in which will determine who the community decide to allow to purchase Thomas M. Cooley High School located at 15055 Hubbell Ave., Detroit MI 48227, Please sign this Petition.

Our Voices Must Be Heard