KENTWOOD, Mich. – (May 9, 2014) – Kentwood Public School officials were scrambling Friday after the federal government said the district was under investigation; however, according to a news release that was not the case.
The following is a news release from the Kentwood Public School District:
Officials from the Office of Civil Rights Apologize for Media Confusion
District leadership quickly responds to inaccurate report
Kentwood Public Schools is committed to being in compliance with all federal and state guidelines. As a result when an AP story inaccurately listed the district as being under investigation by the Office of Civil Rights, district officials quickly contacted the federal agency to seek clarification.
Representatives from the Federal Office of Civil Rights confirmed late in the day that Kentwood Public Schools is not under investigation and apologized for the confusion that led to the inaccurate story.
“At Kentwood, we are committed to operating with excellence in all that we do and so we were glad to see that this was a misunderstanding. When the story emerged, we immediately sought out the agency leadership,” said Michael Zoerhoff, District Superintendent.
Zoerhoff went on to note the importance he places on the Office of Civil Rights, “Students from around the world enroll in our district for an education of excellence where diversity of thought and culture is not just talked about but reflected in the scope of our community. Make no mistake, in today’s world we believe that the Federal Office of Civil Rights does important work for our community and our country.”
Kentwood Public Schools is a global learning community. With students representing over 60 different countries and with one of the largest number of Advance Placement courses in the Kent County, Kentwood students capitalize on opportunities to excel academically, in the arts, and in athletics.
