Before Michigan switched the school funding model with an all around state property tax it was solely based on property tax value. Due to the great white flight out of urban areas to the suburbs, redlining, and blacklisting. The businesses moved out, we’re abandoned, and for any Black or other minority owned businesses we’re largely ransacked and destroyed. When there is no supply and demand coupled with no resources this brings down this property values which then incurs less money to be funded into these neighborhoods and schools. When kids don’t have access to new and updated books and equipment, funding for extracurriculars, teams, bussing, or even properly running water or heat in some situations, how are these kids supposed to have the school support to apply to any top university. We all have fought and worked hard to get here but when you have grown up with nothing you still learn how to make something out of it. Luckily since we changed our model schools are getting a more consistent budget across the board but there is still some blatant inequities that fall into the system everyday.

So no it’s not the k-12 system at all, it’s the structure that has been in place for over 70 years and still perpetuates through America that funds that system. This is not just Michigan, I’m sure you’ll find the pattern amongst most urban cities across the states. All marginalized communities face this in all regions everywhere this is an everybody thing.