DETROIT (WXYZ) — Eleven protesters were arrested Thursday morning during the fourth straight day of demonstrations against in-person summer classes at Detroit schools.
Day 2: Protestors continue blocking buses as Detroit summer school opens amid virus
The demonstrations took place in the area of I-96 and Greenfield.
Police said the protesters were arrested due to affecting district operations and demonstrating in an area that was enforced by Detroit police, not the district.
Demonstrators have been trying to prevent bus drivers from running their routes in protest of the Detroit Public Schools Community District's face-to-face learning plans.
On Wednesday, a civil lawsuit was brought against the district for allowing in-person summer school classes during the pandemic. Filed by teachers, students and parents, the lawsuit is asking for an emergency injunction to end in-person classes immediately.
DPSCD Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti responded to the lawsuit saying, "Our summer school program offers students, parents, and teachers a voluntary face to face or online K-12 educational option. No student, parent, or teacher was required to participate face to face. Voluntary face to face summer school is allowable under Michigan COVID safe reopening phases and our safety plan meets any reopening of school requirements as described by the federal or state government, including the Governor’s “Return to Learn Task Force” requirements. We are offering the same face to face services to children and families as over 300 daycares are to Detroit children in the city. In fact, our COVID safety standards exceeds daycare safety standards. If we are not legally able to provide face to face instruction to students this summer then the assumption should be that schools cannot legally reopen in the fall or in the near future throughout the country or in the state of Michigan.”
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.