On Saturday, the Detroit Public Schools’ governor-appointed Transition Manager, Judge Steven Rhodes, told the school district that there would be no money to pay teachers — or continue running summer school and special education programs — after June 30 barring an injection of funding from the Michigan state Legislature.
Teachers said Rhodes’ announcement was a reversal from previous assurances made by the district, according to the Detroit Free-Press. Teachers said the $48.7 million that the Legislature earmarked — and embattled Governor Rick Snyder approved — in March to fund the district through June 30 included full summer pay for the two-thirds of all Detroit public school teachers who had already signed up to work through the summer, guaranteeing, they believed, year-round paychecks.
The Legislature is currently considering a $720-million restructuring plan to address the Detroit public school district’s debt.
On Sunday, the school district announced that 94 of 97 public schools would be closed on Monday, as teachers planned to call out sick at the urging of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.
In a statement, Rhodes said the union’s “choice for a drastic call to action was not necessary,” and “that the Michigan Legislature understands the urgency of this…… Continue Reading
