Southfield schools add 1 remote learning day a week

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Students at Southfield Public Schools will be at home for remote learning on Fridays.

The announcement Monday came as a shock to many parents.

"It was last minute. It was just like the email came out of nowhere," Diane Foster said. Her child attends Stevenson Elementary 

Latasha Edwards said she was able to get back to work when school started a couple of months ago. She was unable to work last year because they were home for virtual learning.

"Now they have to be back off school and I have to be back off work so it's going to hurt a lot of parents," she said.

An email to parents from the superintendent cites "stressors on families and educators included labor shortages, increased seasonal illnesses, and food supply chain disruptions are creating a less than optimal learning environment."

"It's been going pretty smooth since the beginning of the school year and now all of a sudden they're saying on Fridays they're going back to virtual learning," Brian Washington said.

A spokesperson for the district said the details will be finalized and more details about the remote learning plan will be available soon.

In the meantime, parents just hope that their children will remain in the classroom most of the time.

"She's doing really good in school, interacting with the other children. It's a totally different experience having them in school instead," Foster said.