At least 88 out of Detroit’s 100 schools were closed after teachers staged a sickout, the largest in a series of protests that aim to bring light to issues the school system faces. The protest coincided with the president’s arrival in the Michigan city. Because it is illegal for public school teachers to engage in strikes in Michigan, educators coordinated calling out sick on Wednesday, forcing the vast majority of Detroit’s 46,000 students to stay home for the day.
The protest was planned to coincide with President Barack Obama’s day trip to Detroit on Wednesday. He will visit the city to toast the US automotive industry’s rebound at the North American International Auto Show. While many view the auto industry’s resurgence as an important victory for the perennially declining Detroit, educators have a much different story to tell. FULL REPORT
