Charter & Catholic Schools Open, Public Schools Closed For In-Cla

I read that Catholic schools in Grand Rapids are open for students to return for in-person instruction. MLive is reporting that they started their school day yesterday. They teach approximately 6,340 students from kindergarten to 12th grade and they are offering all classes in front of a teacher five days a week this fall.

All of their students are required to wear their masks while in the school except during lunch break. Their Kindergarten through 5th-grade students are allowed to remove their masks when seated in their classroom. All students must also respect and follow social distancing rules.

Parents who are not comfortable with their child attending in-classroom instruction can take advantage of their remote learning option. Interesting that only approximately 5% of the students at West Catholic High School decided to use their remote learning option and less than 10 students at St. Paul the Apostle School choose the remote learning option.

Let us contrast that report with an article published in the Detroit Free Press that reported:

‘Detroit public school teachers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to authorize what they call a "safety strike" if the district doesn't meet demands for adequate protections and other considerations related to the coronavirus pandemic...The vote, which drew support from about 91% of the district's more than 4,000 teachers”

What is very interesting and telling is the fact that the union is refusing to tell the public or parents what those demands they want are. That tells me that at least some of them have nothing to do with the COVID-19 virus and they are embarrassed to let the public know what they are.

According to the Detroit Federation of Teachers President Terrence Martin, 80% of their teachers prefer to work remotely and 15% are were willing to teach face-to-face.

The question I have is what is the difference between these two groups of educators, teachers and administrations?

The article also stated that:

“Most private schools and many charter schools in the area also plan face-to-face learning.‘

Interesting.

By the way, teacher strikes are illegal in Michigan but when did following the law ever stop them.

Wait until you hear a child contracting the COVID-19 virus in one of these schools that are wanting to teach their students to the best of their ability. All of the naysayers will bask in their own hatred glow.

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