Introduction

Michigan’s education system faces significant challenges, particularly in districts with large Muslim and Black student populations, such as Dearborn and Detroit. This analysis examines the systemic issues contributing to low academic achievement in these communities, focusing on cultural barriers, resource allocation, and the impact of diversity policies. The author argues that Muslim culture creates significant challenges for teaching in a modern country, and that assimilation to Western culture is essential for academic success. Using the author’s methodology, proficiency is classified as "passed" (proficient + advanced), and non-proficiency as "failed" (partially proficient + not proficient).

Related: Michigan Education System Ruined by Diversity Policies.

Educational Attainment in Muslim Communities

Many Muslim immigrants in the U.S. come from regions with low educational attainment. According to a 2016 Pew Research Center report, Muslim adults globally have an average of 5.6 years of schooling, though U.S. Muslims have higher attainment, with ~31% holding a bachelor’s degree (Pew, 2023). Former UNESCO Assistant Director General for Education John Daniel noted in 2000–2004 that the Arab region had a literacy rate of 62.2%, well below the global average of 84% and the developing countries’ average of 76.4%. Updated 2023 UNESCO data shows improvement, with Arab region literacy at ~73%, but still lagging the global average of 87%.

The author argues that the root cause of these educational challenges is Muslim culture, which he believes is incompatible with Western educational norms. As the author states, "Western culture is not compatible with Islamic culture," and "being functionally literate living in America runs counter to Arab culture." The author contends that Muslim students must assimilate to Western culture—adopting values like secular education, gender equality, and English proficiency—and that diversity policies that accommodate cultural differences hinder this necessary assimilation, leading to persistent academic struggles.

Dearborn’s Educational Challenges

Dearborn City School District, with ~20,500 students (MDE, 2023), serves a predominantly Arab-American population (~90%, often classified as White in Census data). Approximately 50% of students are economically disadvantaged, and ~50% are English language learners, reflecting the challenges of educating a large immigrant population. The author argues that these issues stem primarily from Muslim culture, which resists assimilation to Western norms. High rates of English learners (50%) and low pass rates, in the author’s view, reflect a cultural reluctance to prioritize Western educational values like English proficiency.

Dearborn’s test scores, based on 2023 M-STEP data, show significant gaps. The following table summarizes performance, using the author’s classification:

Dearborn City School District Test Scores (2023)
LevelSubjectPassedFailed
ElementaryReading48%52%
ElementaryMath43%57%
Middle SchoolReading49%51%
Middle SchoolMath42%58%
High SchoolReading50%50%
High SchoolMath45%55%

Source: Michigan Department of Education, 2023.

Despite these pass rates, Dearborn’s high school graduation rate is ~80% (MDE, 2023), while college readiness is only ~18%. The author views this discrepancy as evidence of educational misrepresentation, arguing that diplomas awarded to non-proficient students fail to reflect true academic achievement. The author attributes Dearborn’s low pass rates to a failure to assimilate to Western culture, compounded by diversity policies that accommodate rather than challenge cultural norms. Dearborn’s budget of $261 million (2023) allocates ~$160 million to instruction (~61%) and ~$101 million to support services (~39%), including counselors and social workers. The author criticizes this as excessive administrative overhead, diverting funds from core education.

Dearborn’s crime rate is relatively low at 3.35 per 1,000 (2023), compared to Michigan’s average of 4.95 (FBI, 2023), suggesting that academic challenges are tied to cultural factors rather than community safety.

Detroit’s Educational Challenges

Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) faces even more severe challenges, with a student population that is ~91% Black (MDE, 2023). The city struggles with high rates of violence (22.5 violent crimes per 1,000, FBI 2023) and low academic achievement. The Detroit Free Press (2018) reported alarmingly low proficiency rates, which have seen only marginal improvement by 2023, as shown in the following table:

Detroit Public Schools Proficiency Rates (2018/2023)
Grade/SubjectDetroit (Passed/Failed)Michigan (Passed/Failed)U.S. (Passed/Failed)
4th Grade Reading (2018/2023)5% / 95% (2018)
6% / 94% (2023)		32% / 68% (2018)
28% / 72% (2023)		35% / 65% (2018)
32% / 68% (2023)
4th Grade Math (2018/2023)4% / 96% (2018)
5% / 95% (2023)		36% / 64% (2018)
26% / 74% (2023)		40% / 60% (2018)
29% / 71% (2023)
8th Grade Reading (2018/2023)7% / 93% (2018)
8% / 92% (2023)		34% / 66% (2018)
30% / 70% (2023)		35% / 65% (2018)
29% / 71% (2023)
8th Grade Math (2018/2023)5% / 95% (2018)
6% / 94% (2023)		31% / 69% (2018)
26% / 74% (2023)		33% / 67% (2018)
29% / 71% (2023)

Source: NAEP (2018, 2023); Detroit Free Press (2018).

Detroit’s budget in FY2024 was $1.5 billion, with ~$600 million (~40%) allocated to instruction and ~$900 million (~60%) to non-instructional costs, including administrative expenses and employee bonuses (DPSCD, 2024). The author argues that this misallocation—where less than half of the budget supports direct education—contributes to persistent low performance, a pattern seen nationwide and often exacerbated by union-driven policies.

Budget Misallocation in Michigan Schools

Both Dearborn and Detroit exhibit significant budget misallocation, according to the author. In Dearborn, only 61% of the $261 million budget goes to instruction, with 39% spent on support services like counselors and social workers. In Detroit, FY2024 data shows 40% ($600 million) for instruction and 60% ($900 million) for non-instructional costs, a trend consistent with earlier years (e.g., FY2021: 37% for instruction). The author criticizes this as administrative overhead, arguing that funds are diverted from core educational needs, contributing to low pass rates.

The author proposes a policy requiring 90% of school budgets to be allocated to instruction, with a five-year timeline for schools to achieve a 75% proficiency rate, or face the loss of federal funding. This, the author argues, would prioritize educational outcomes over administrative spending.

Conclusion

Michigan’s Dearborn and Detroit school districts highlight the challenges of educating diverse student populations amidst systemic issues. The author contends that Muslim culture in Dearborn creates significant barriers to academic success, and that assimilation to Western culture is essential for improvement. Detroit faces its own challenges with poverty and violence, reflected in persistently low pass rates. Diversity policies that accommodate rather than assimilate, combined with budget misallocation, exacerbate these issues, according to the author. Reforming educational funding to prioritize instruction and enforcing rigorous academic standards through assimilation, the author argues, is essential to improving outcomes for all students.

References

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