Frustrated DPS teachers hold 'sickout'

DETROIT - Standing up and fighting for what they call a take back of Detroit Public Schools.

A sickout by some DPS teachers on Tuesday forced the closing of three schools; McKenzie Elementary Middle School, Westside Academy and Mason Academy.

“Teachers in Detroit decided to take a stand and break the new Jim Crow laws that we have in Detroit today,” said Nicole Conoway, a DPS teacher, DFT member. “The segregated, unequal conditions we have aren’t fair to the students, teachers or the people of Detroit.”

DPS Emergency Manager Darnell Early said in a statement, "we can agree to disagree on matters of policy, those disagreements should never impact our students and the instructional time they are entitled to as it has today.”

Teachers and students say they are fed up and are demanding change.

“We demand the restoration of democratic control of our schools to the people of Detroit with a fully empowered elected school board now, the state needs to pay back the debt then get their hands of DPS and get out of Detroit,” said Conoway.

Students say as the fight continues their education continues to suffer.

“Our education is not equal to that in predominately white suburbs, if we don’t have the same amount of resources we are giving racist standardized testing and almost all of the curriculum is to prepare us for the standardized tests,” said Markeith Johnes, a DSA Senior.

That's why these protesters say more action is required. 

“This sickness is contagious and it is going to spread. That is why fellow teachers and I are petitioning for a mass meeting of the Detroit Federation of Teachers to call for that city wide strike that we know we need to win,” said Conoway.