As the contract between the Detroit Federation of Teachers and the Detroit Public Schools Community District nears its expiration on June 30, discussions are set to unfold with a key focus on enhancing support for educators. This initiative comes amid increased immigration enforcement activities, impacting students and their families. Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins, the union president, outlined these concerns in a recent conversation with Chalkbeat Detroit. Read more.
Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has engaged with community leaders, particularly in southwest Detroit, to devise strategies in response to the potential increase in ICE presence. During a school board meeting on February 10, Vitti stated, “We are actively working with southwest leaders to proactively anticipate increases in ICE presence in Detroit. We’re doing this through individual leaders, community organizers, and groups, where school-level staff and central office staff are working with those leaders to provide additional resources to immigrant families that have lost family members or are fearful of the ICE presence.”
This proactive stance is partly due to a noticeable decline in student enrollment and attendance, particularly in areas with a higher concentration of immigrant families. Late last year, four students from Western International High School experienced detention by ICE, underscoring these community concerns.
“It is clear that our southwest schools have lost enrollment due to the ICE attacks. We also have seen an increase in chronic absenteeism,” Vitti noted, highlighting the challenges faced by schools in immigrant-populated neighborhoods.
The union is not only pushing for increased teacher training but also calling for the district to reaffirm its status as a sanctuary district. Wilson-Lumpkins urged the school board to maintain a “steadfast commitment at the bargaining table, not just to an early tentative agreement, competitive salaries, and benefits, but to language that affirms our members’ values and this district’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and continuous improvement.”
She emphasized the importance of these negotiations, stating, “Our families are watching. Our employees are watching. Our students are watching.”
In a statement to Michigan Public, Wilson-Lumpkins reiterated the need for the district to bolster support for teachers, saying, “The DFT believes the District must do a better job of preparing our members for issues affecting our students and the communities in which they represent. Some of our demands we’ve made publicly include: professional development regarding undocumented minors, emergency plans for each building and protections for staff following clear district protocol and safe school policies.”
The Detroit Public Schools Community District has been approached for a comment regarding these ongoing discussions.
