She spoke to my 9th-10th grade African American Civics and History Classes during her tenure in the State Senate at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences. DAAS is a charter school in Detroit.

She said she loved the charter school but felt that not enough money was coming into the school because the school lacked a true art program (Alma Smith is into the arts).

Smith again said she loved the idea of charters on my former radio show in Highland Park during an interview but some of them (like the one I worked in) needed more programs in place like art and music.