Detroit teachers union voting Wednesday on whether to strike

DETROIT - About 4,200 Detroit teachers plan to vote on whether the union will go on strike against the school district today.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers claims their demands for a safe reopening in the fall have been ignored by the district administrators while the superintendent lobbies to revisit in-person learning when classes return.

Chief among the priorities teachers say hasn't been acknowledged is an online-only start to the school year. 

Above all other requests from the union, beginning the school year remotely has been the sticking point for many districts attempting to work around the pandemic. While many districts in Metro Detroit and around Michigan have opted to start the fall school year, the Detroit Public School Community District has held firm on that position. 

Among other demands teachers have listed include hand sanitizing stations, reducing the number of students per class to 20, mandating masks, offering face shields to special needs students, and implementing temperature kiosks. 

DPSCD received heavy criticism from parents and teachers over the summer when they held summer classes in June and July. While disruptions to class were mainly due to protests from activists, there were three cases of COVID-19 that were confirmed during the summer semester. 

A judge ruled the school could remain open but mandated COVID-19 testing for students if they planned on attending class.

RELATED: How Detroit teachers union leader feels okay sending son to class in the fall: "Absolutely Not"

Some Detroit school students have advocated for the same online decision. 

"Don't think about what you could gain from opening the schools, don't think about what you could gain, think about what all these families will lose and all these children will lose," he said. 

Legislation approved by both the state House and Senate this week does not mandate any kind of indoor school. 

While Michigan law forbids teachers from going on strike, the decision on whether they will or won't will be voted on around 4:30 p.m. today.