>> Anchor: LATELY WHEN WE HEAR
ABOUT DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT
HAS TO DO WITH BRIBERY SCANDAL
INVOLVING VENDORS
ADMINISTRATORS.
THOSE STORIES CERTAINLY DO NOT
GENERATE SUPPORT FOR DETROIT'S
EDUCATION AROUND THE STATE.
BUT I GRADUATED FROM DETROIT
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND SO DID TODAY'S INTERIM
SUPERINTENDENT.
ALISHA MERRIWEATHER.
I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEND TIME
TALKING WITH NEW CHIEF TO FIND
OUT WHAT HER PLAN IS FOR SCHOOL
US.
>> Reporter: TODAY'S HEADLINES
ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE.
THAT COUPLED WITH YEARS OF
TEACHER FRUSTRATION HELPS TO PUT
A NEGATIVE SPIN ON THE STATE'S
DPS.
AND NOT SHYING AWAY FROM
UGLINESS OF BRIBERY SCANDALS OR
TEACHER SICK OUTS.
NEW INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT SAID
THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE
EXPOSED.
>> I AM NOT A FAN OF HIDING
THINGS UNDER THE RUG OR AND
JUDGE ON RECORD SAYING DURING MY
EXPOSED.
FIRST YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THIS DID HAPPEN.
HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: REBUILDING TRUST
IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HER FIRST
PRIORITY.
AND WITHOUT THAT, HER PLAN OR
ANYONE'S WILL NOT SUCCEED.
TEACHERS, NEED TO BE HEARD.
>> SO YOU HAVE GOT TEACHERS WHO
THEIR SALARY IS AN ISSUE.
ISSUE.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC
IMAGE ISSUE WHERE PEOPLE SAY
WELL, IF TEACHERS REALLY CARED
ABOUT KIDS THEY WOULD BE IN
THERE TEACHING.
SO AT THAT POINT, TEACHERS SAY,
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE
ABOUT KIDS?
HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT I HAVE DONE
FOR MY KIDS?
I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO HELP
THAT WE ARE IN.
SO I THINK, WHAT YOU SAW WITH
SICK OUTS IS TRYING TO GET
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT
SITUATION.
>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU RIGHT
A SHIP SO OFF COURSE.
SINKING.
>> OFTEN TIMES IF PEOPLE ARE
CONNECTION.
READ.
AND IF WHAT THEY SEE AND READ IS
NEGATIVE THEN AT THAT POINT THEY
HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND THAT
NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM DETROIT
OR NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM
DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
INVEST?
>> YES.
IT IS A PERSONAL CHALLENGE.
SO EVERY TIME I AM INTERFACING
WITH PEOPLE WITH NEGATIVE MIND
SETS, I LOVE THE CHALLENGE,
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I AM ABOUT
TO BLOW THEIR MIND BECAUSE I
WILL SHARE SOME THINGS WITH THEM
THAT THEY DON'T THINK HAPPENED
DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE NO EASY
ANSWERS OR QUICK FIXES.
BUT GETTING STARTED IS FUELING
THE PASSION IN ALISHA
MERRIWEATHER.
SHE TAKES HER INSPIRATION FROM
UNLIKELY PLACE.
MOST WOULD FIND INSURMOUNTABLE.
LIKE MOST EDUCATORS ALL IT TOOK
WAS A PIECE OF CHALK AND WE
LOOKED AT THE TARGET AREAS SHE
ATTENTION.
>> LITERACY, AND SO MUCH MORE.
WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT
WE CAN DO TO HELP OUR STUDENTS
BE SUCCESSFUL WITH ISSUES SUCH
AND I AM GIVING STUDENTS SUPPORT
THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN
THE CLASSROOM.
>> Reporter: ROAD MAP FOR
DORMANCY.
YET CRYING FOR HELP.
>> IT TAKES ABOUT EIGHT TO 10
YEARS OF CONSISTENT AND FAITHFUL
IMPLEMENTATION OF A PLAN, WITH
UNDERSTANDING THAT THROUGH THE
FEEDBACK CYCLE YOU MAKE
MODIFICATION AS LONG THE WAY.
>> Reporter: SOMETIMES PEOPLE
EXPECT THINGS TO TURN AROUND
BUT THAT'S NOT REASONABLE.
>> Reporter: AS WE WALK THE
HALLS OF BAGLY ELEMENTARY.
MEETING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
AND REMINISCING ABOUT THE
EDUCATION WE RECEIVED.
NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED BUT IT
BECOMES VERY CLEAR, THAT FOR
THIS CITY, TO TRULY COME BACK, A
QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM,
IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE
EQUATION.
AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THAT
BETTER THAN DETROIT'S OWN
MERRIWEATHER.
>> IF WE CAN GET DETROIT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS FUNCTIONING IN A WAY
THAT IS ALL ABOUT TEACHING AND
LEARNING, RESPECTING EDUCATION.
HAPPENING.
WITH OUR DAYS.
THEN, I THINK, WHAT WE WILL SEE
IS A MAJOR CHANGE IN THIS CITY
LIKE WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
>> Reporter: THERE IS A SLOGAN
YOU SEE ON LAWNS AROUND DETROIT.
ABOUT DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SEE IT, BELIEVE IT.
WHEN YOU HEAR ALISHA
MERRIWEATHER, YOU KNOW IT IS
ALREADY STARTED.
AND LET'S LOOK FORWARD TO THE
NEXT EIGHT TO 12 YEARS.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING BACK
IN THE OLD SCHOOL.
>> Anchor: LOCKERS LOOK THE
SAME.
GYM SMALLER.
I SAW THE ROPE.
BUT I GOT A CHANCE TO GO INTO