DPS filed the injunction on Wednesday in an attempt tog et teachers back into classrooms following days of sick-outs that have shut down dozens of schools.
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A spokeswoman for the Detroit Public Schools, Michelle A. Zdrodowski, said it’s “extremely important” the court help to resolve the issue.
Detroit Public Schools asked the court to stop the protests in Wednesday court filings that claimed 31,000 of 46,000 students in the district have been affected by teachers skipping at least seven days of school in recent weeks.
More than 85 schools were closed Wednesday due to teacher absences, forcing thousands of students to remain home.
“It is regrettable that the Detroit Public Schools seeks to punish those who speak out about the deplorable conditions in our schools”, Bailey said. The school district’s lawsuit accuses teachers and advocacy groups behind the Detroit strikes of knowingly flouting state law.
“It’s inconvenient. It makes me a little late for school when I have to find someone to watch her”, said Wesley, a pharmacy tech student at the Everest Institute’s Detroit campus. In April 2014, Flint’s water system became contaminated when the city switched from Lake Huron to the Flint River water while under control of an emergency manager appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder.
Schools opened as normal on Thursday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The longer the sickouts continue, the more attention Detroit is receiving for the school conditions the union describes.
Critics of the teacher ‘sickouts have repeatedly tried to demonize them as somehow shortchanging the poor students who need an education.
The protest continued for more than an hour as marchers hoped to be on hand when President Barack Obama’s motorcade arrived at the Cobo Center convention hall, where the president was to tour the North American International Auto Show. Members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers are planning to distribute leaflets at the event in an effort to raise awareness of the city’s educational dysfunction.
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Mitchell says the teacher’s union did not encourage educators to participate in the sickout, but adds that “the movement has grown”. “Their actions also go against any possible resolution on potential (Detroit Public Schools) reforms, because any long-term agreement on Detroit schools has to put the kids first”. Other sick-outs affecting a smaller number of schools have taken place as well.
