97 Detroit public schools closed due to teacher 'sickouts'
Some 97 public schools in Detroit have been closed as hundreds of teachers called in sick in protest to reports that they would not be paid for two months of work.
Around 46,000 students did not attend schools on Monday due to teachers’ protest. Teachers are rallying at the district’s central administration building.
The move came after teachers found out over the weekend that they would not get salaries once the fiscal year wraps up on June 30.
Ivy Bailey, the interim president of Detroit Federation of Teachers, said in a statement on Sunday that the district was “effectively locking our members out of the classrooms” as they failed to guarantee that teachers would be paid.
"There's a basic agreement in America: When you put in a day's work, you'll receive a day's pay. DPS (Detroit Public Schools) is breaking that deal," Bailey said.
"Teachers want to be in the classroom giving children a chance to learn and reach their potential. Unfortunately, by refusing to guarantee that we will be paid for our work, DPS is effectively locking our members out of the classrooms," she added.
Steven Rhodes, a retired bankruptcy judge who was appointed as the transition manager for DPS, said that the Michigan legislature approved $48.7 million in supplemental funding but that was not enough and will only cover payroll through the end of June.
Rhodes called on Michigan lawmakers to pass a rescue plan of $715 million to create an education commission for Detroit to control new school openings for the next five years.
He added without that amount of money, teachers, who are on a 26-paycheck cycle, will not receive their salaries and there will be no more funds for Summer School or special education services.
Bailey described working without payment as “the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
"Teachers have mortgage payments, utility bills, grocery bills. Being paid for their work isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity," she added.
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