Detroit Superintendent William Coleman III has announced plans to close 52 of the city's 232 public schools by next summer, subject to approval by the city's Board of Ed. The move would save the city $19 million a year.

Over the past eight years, the district has lost more than 50,000 students—nearly a third of its population, yet the district has closed only 30 schools in that time. To make up for the commensurate decline in state aid, the district had to borrow more than $200 million last year—more than 10 times what closing one-fifth of the city's schools will save. The district was taken over by the state in 1999, and returned to the city in 2005, but Coleman is already warning that new takeover is imminent; that unless more schools close "We set the stage for another state takeover of the Detroit Public Schools."

The demographic picture for the city as a whole is equally grim, as fewer people move to Detroit, which last year lost its place as one of the top ten largest American cities after being one of them for 95 years, than any other major American city.

It remains to be seen how this will play out, as the board is presently considering hiring a new superintendent, the city has in the past backed off of school closings following community protests, and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been frozen out of the process thus far, and has yet to so much as review the plan.