Dozens of Detroit schools close due to teacher protest

A day after more than half of Detroit Public Schools were closed because of a teacher sickout, another wave of schools canceled classes for the day.

The teachers are protesting poor working conditions, led by former Detroit Federation of Teachers president Steven Conn, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Bailey said that while the union supports the teachers in their efforts to raise awareness of problems in the district, “I don’t support the method”.

They say that some of the buildings in the Detroit Public School system pose legitimate health hazards to themselves and the students.

The Detroit district is Michigan’s largest and has been under continuous state oversight for almost seven years.

Teachers suspected of participating in smaller sickouts this past fall received “notices of investigation”, according to the DFT, and state officials have called for further punishment.

Unlike some mayors, Duggan has no control over the city’s public schools. Sickouts are “a blatant attempt to circumvent the law barring the DFT from walking away from their responsibilities and striking”, MI state Rep. Tim Kelly said. “I’m not sure why they would protests against having a solution like that come to Detroit“, Snyder said, referring to the teachers who called out sick again.

“Many outdated school buildings are crumbling – roofs, floors, windows, doors, and locks that are broken or in desperate need of fix”, she wrote. But his plan has yet to receive support in the Legislature, which is controlled by fellow Republicans.

Ivy Bailey, interim president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, told WXYZ the union has not officially sanctioned the sick-outs. Forcing over 60 Detroit schools to close yesterday, another 24 today, affecting tens of thousands of students.

“It was recently brought to my attention that a very serious black mold problem exists at Spain Elementary School”, said Detroit City Council member Mary Sheffield in a statement.

“Our goal is to get the Detroit Public School to be successful”.

Snyder has called for the state to commit $715 million over a decade to address the district’s $500 million debt and relaunch the district under a new name.

“Using students as pawns to advance a political position, in my opinion, is not only unacceptable, it is also unethical”, Earley said, according to Click On Detroit. They want the schools investigated for health and safety hazards students. I wouldn’t say that roaches and rats scampering through hallways are conducive to teaching and learning.

“We know that with the current debt figures if the issue is not addressed soon, Detroit public schools students will be losing [nearly half of the state’s per-pupil funding total]”, Pedroni said, adding: “It’s unconscionable that students lose that to debt service”.