DPS cancels classes until further notice; embraces fact-finding: DFT leader spurns request to ask teachers to go back to work

Monday, September 11, 2006

Detroit Public Schools Superintendent William F. Coleman III issued the following statement regarding DFT President Janna Garrison’s refusal to ask her members to come back to work and the State’s decision to initiate fact finding:

“The Michigan Employment Relations Commission has just informed us that it is moving forward with the Governor’s request to initiate fact-finding. You need to know that several weeks ago the DFT rejected the District’s offer to go to fact-finding. We’ve been notified that both parties will receive a letter from the commission either tomorrow or Wednesday.

We welcome the fact-finding process. Fact-finding will make public the issues separating the parties.

We remain committed to ensuring that we reach a resolution as quickly as possible. We want our parents and students to know that we are working diligently to resolve this. We ask them to continue to be patient with us.

A few minutes ago, we reached out to Mrs. Garrison and asked her to issue a joint statement from the DFT and the Detroit Public Schools requesting that our teachers return to their classrooms while we work through the state-mandated fact-finding process.

She declined.

In light of her refusal to ask her members to come back to work, I have no choice but to cancel classes until we are assured that the teachers will be in their classrooms. In the meantime, we will continue to work towards resolving our differences with the DFT and getting our children back to school.”