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Detroit public schools head talks plan to get students safely back in-person
Dr. Nikolai Vitti says online learning participation for Detroit Public Schools Community District is increasing thanks in part to devoted teachers reaching out to families.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - As Covid numbers continue rising, school district across the country have returned to virtual learning. For many parents, it’s frustrating.
"They’re not getting the attention nor the learning on the computer, that they would if they were in school," said Gwendolyn Davis, who has a child in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.
As the superintendent of Michigan’s largest school district, Dr Nikolai Vitti hears the frustration but for now, he’s also working to minimize disruption in learning during this recent Covid surge.
"A lot of students are sick, families are sick, and that was even putting online learning (by) the wayside," Vitti said.
Vitti says online learning participation for Detroit Public Schools Community District is increasing thanks in part to devoted teachers reaching out to families.
"We’ve been now at 76 percent for the last two days, and we were at about 80 percent with in-person learning before the break," he said.
But Vitti makes it clear, online learning does not make the grade.
"Online learning is not the best way to learn for our students," he said. "It’s really about pivoting and returning to in-person learning by January 24th and at the very latest, January 31st."
But the challenge is how do you keep the school doors open and keep the school community safe?
"The way we stay open is by expanding testing," he said.
And that means testing students and staff.
"We’re at about 76 percent of our students with a consent form on file, and we want to get to 100 percent by January 31," he said.
Vitti says there is a plan for families not consenting to testing.
"We will move students who object - or their families object - to virtual school," he said.
The superintendent believes students also have to get vaccinated.
"Starting, I would say, in February, we’re going to have a school in every part of the city," he said. "Our full-time nurses, our contracted nurses, will deliver the vaccine directly to students."
Staff must still abide by a vaccine mandate which requires vaccination by the 18th of next month
"There is state law and other precedents legally, that allow employers or school districts to require a vaccine of their employees," he said.
As DPSCD officials work to get students back in school, parents say they hope the school doors reopen sooner than later.
"Let’s get the kids back in school because they’re not learning at home," said Davis.
For more about DPSCD Covid information CLICK HERE.