Detroit school teacher union president says a safety strike authorized if COVID-19 concerns are not met

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Just three weeks before the start of the school year, Detroit public school teachers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a safety strike if certain demands are not met in regards to their concerns over COVID-19. 

Wednesday's vote does not mean teachers will strike,  but rather if talks between the teachers union and the district on how to open schools fail, there could be one. 

"It was certainly necessary for us to take the action we did today to ensure that the health and safety of our members and our students were paramount," said Terrence Martin, Detroit Federation of Teachers. "We understand in this moment the safest thing to do is to work with them online. Our members are ready, available, and ready to work virtually in the fall."

But the Detroit Public Schools Community District plans to provide online and in-person instruction in September.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers is negotiating how the district will start the school year.

Martin, the federation president, says his members want to make sure that school buildings have proper ventilation and cleaning protocols.  And that there will be personal protection equipment at every building and an agreement on some form of regular testing for staff, students, and anyone that would go inside school buildings.

"The things that the district has outlined in its return to school plan, we want to see those things in action and there's got to be a level of assurance to the public that the district is ready to perform face to face learning in the fall," he said.

Martin says about 80 percent of teachers want to teach online and only 15 percent want to go back into the classroom. DPSCD says 25 percent of students want in-person instruction. 

"Our fear is that there will be members that are forced to teach face-to-face, even if there are members who are uneasy and uncomfortable with doing that," Martin said. "Particularly our members who have pre-existing conditions in which Covid can certainly exacerbate those preexisting conditions."

"I would like for them to start virtual the same as the suburban school have, start virtual, and take it three months at a time," said Courtney Vaughn, a DPSCD parent.  

Terrence Martin, DFT president

Vaughn is concerned after her son Brian, a rising senior at Frederick Douglass Academy, contracted the virus. 

"It's been really rough. I mean it's like the hardest thing I've had to face," said Brian Davenport, DPSCD student. "Ever." 

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and the DPSCD school board released a joint statement saying:

"While we acknowledge the action taken today by DFT, we are also confident the school board and the district, in discussion with DFT, will result in a safe reopening of schools."