DETROIT - Taking the role of guinea pig, Detroit Public Schools has taken the state's first step in reopening schools on Monday with the start of summer classes. Not everyone was interested in allowing for a smooth reopening, however.
Around 100 protesters from multiple advocacy groups made an appearance at the district's bus lot on the city's west side. Holding signs and blocking the exit out of the facility, demonstrators sought to derail the first day of class for students that would be taking the bus.
"We just know that it's barely safe to open up partially the economy, why is it safe for young kids to go to school and worse be transmitters for the families and the teachers," said Detroit Will Breathe Activist Tristan Taylor
Another advocacy group, By Any Means Necessary, also made the call to block buses. The civil rights group says it plans to sue the district to keep it closed to in-person learning until a vaccine to COVID-19 is developed.
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Protest groups converge on Detroit School bus lot, blocking vehicles from leaving
Dozens of people congregated outside the Detroit School District's bus lot on the first day of reopening doors for summer school. When schools should reopen are among the many pressing questions for how the state should move forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic
“What (DPSCD Superintendent) Vitti is doing, what Mayor Duggan is doing, and what Governor Whitmer is allowing for Detroit Public Schools to conduct a new Tuskegee experiment to use Detroit public school students, black and Latino students for her immunity experiment. That is not acceptable,” said Benjamin Royal, a teacher at the district.
Dr. Nikolai Vitti and the rest of the Detroit Public Schools have waded into a national debate about how should states resume teaching. Despite fall classes still months away, everyone from the activists of BAMN to President Donald Trump made their pitch.
While most agree that some form of reopening is necessary for both students and parents, that's where much of consensus stops. Districts are attempting to find a happy medium solution that includes both in-person and virtual learning options. Vitti says both will be available to students starting school on Monday, and thousands had signed up.
“Four thousand parents signed up for summer school...half of our families signed up for face-to-face and the other half for online instruction," he said in a statement. "More than 300 teachers applied to offer face to face instruction for the 170 positions.”
The necessity of school has only become more evident as parents that need to get back to work can't without leaving their kids at home. But deciding between the two when economic struggles have only amplified amid a country-wide recession spurred on by government shutdowns in response to the pandemic.
Further complicating the situation is Michigan's own resurgence of coronavirus cases over the last month. After a successful flattening of its own curve that peaked in early-April, cases have begun climbing again. At least three times last week, health officials reported at least 600 more cases of the virus - numbers not seen since May.
The governor bolstered face mask rules as a result, arguing the state needed to get its infection rate under control if it wanted to have any hope of a normal school year.
"By wearing masks, we can save lives and protect our family, friends, and neighbors from the spread of COVID-19. And by wearing masks now, we can put our state in a stronger position so our kids can return to school safely in the fall," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a statement last week.
She gave a similar reason for justifying the closure of indoor bar service after an outbreak from an East Lansing establishment spread to almost 200 people.
Enough uncertainty about the virus in Michigan and its effect on children and their ability to transmit the disease gave protesters reason to start amassing in front of the bus lot as early as 5 a.m. on Monday.
Located at 8145 Greenfield Rd. near Tireman on the city's west side, FOX 2 videoed one bus trying to exit the lot. Surrounded by protesters, it was eventually allowed to move forward.
A spokesperson for the district said administrators would assess the impact of the protests on the in-person school day, saying it would only affect students who ride the bus and that the district was still fielding inquiries about enrolling in summer school through the morning.