During school board meeting Detroit teachers are fearful if classes resume in-person this fall

FOX 2 - The Detroit Public School Board says they want to give parents the option of having their children attend classes in the fall in person or online
 
But teachers and staff say they do not have the same choice and if they want to keep their jobs, they have to be in the classroom - but it is one place they don't feel comfortable at, right now. 

"We don't believe in a one size fits all solution," said Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Detroit Schools superintendent.

A Zoom meeting was held to discuss whether students in Detroit should be in the classroom now during summer school and in the fall. 

During the meeting, the board unanimously approved a plan that will allow in person learning and online learning if that is fully funded by the state. The board mentioned precautions in place as well as being flexible. 

"To limit the number of students in a classroom to roughly 20 or less, at a time," said Angelique Peterson-Mayberry. 

"We have to stop starting the conversation with 'no' and ending the conversation with 'no,'" Vitti said. "It does not work for the 50,000 children we serve. It does not. It does not work to simply say it must be online. If that is the health trend of our state and of our country, then so be it, we will accept it and modify it, based on what we did in March."

Vitti also said Detroit students in particular have fallen further behind with strictly online learning, which is why they went to in-person summer school. 

"I am damn proud of what they are doing every day for our children," he said. "It was amazing to go to school on Monday and see our teachers show up and work with our children." 

In the two days of the summer session, protesters have been at the bus garage.

"It is a shame that any one of our fellow teachers would call a teacher that showed up to school a traitor," he said. "That is unconscionable."

The concerns of those on the picket line were echoed online during the public comment portion of the Zoom meeting Tuesday night.

"People have died, children have died. This is not a game where you can pretend to have some safety precautions to magically protect us from a deadly virus that we can't see," said teacher Ben Royal.

"You the school board can't meet face to face for a couple of hours," said teacher Martina Falk. "You cannot expect children to safely sit in a classroom."

"This board and Dr. Vitti seem to believe that opening schools here will go differently despite our higher numbers, despite our students' higher risk, and worse education funding," said teacher Gavin Buckley. "Again, shame on all of you."

About 45 people in the meeting were overwhelmingly opposed to going back into the classroom at this time.

Vitti said 2,000 people signed up, but 500 kids showed up Monday and 600 did today.

The board says they will address the questions raised during public comment at the next meeting.