The Detroit Federation of Teachers’ contract with the Detroit Public Schools Community District is set to expire June 30. As contract negotiations begin over the next few weeks, the union is planning to ask the district for more support for teachers whose students are impacted by increased immigration enforcement operations, union president Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins told Chalkbeat Detroit.
This comes after calls for the school district to do more to protect immigrant students and families.
At a February 10 school board meeting, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said he has been in conversation with community leaders, specifically in southwest Detroit, about how to handle the possibility of increased ICE presence in Detroit.
“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,” he said.
He also noted decreased enrollment and attendance in the neighborhood in recent months. Four students from Western International High School in Detroit were detained by ICE late last year.
“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 said. “Obviously, southwest schools are where the heavier concentration of immigrant families attend school.”
In addition to increased training for teachers, the union is asking the district to reaffirm its commitment to being a sanctuary district.
At the meeting, Wilson-Lumpkins asked the board for its cooperation and “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.”
“Our families are watching. Our employees are watching. Our students are watching,” she said.
In a statement to Michigan Public, Wilson-Lumpkins said the district needs to do more to support teachers.
"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."
We've reached out to the Detroit Public Schools Community District for comment.
