Detroit Teachers Have A Deal - Now What?
Detroit's Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick managed to broker a tentative deal between the Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Federation of Teachers early this morning. This deal could have teachers back in their classrooms as early as Thursday after an all-night negotiating session that was held in his office.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm (D, MI) was quick to issue a statement saying how glad she was that students were returning to school.
I am personally thrilled that Detroit teachers will be in their classrooms instead of on a picket-line. However, I truly hope that Kilpatrick and Granholm will not end their involvement once the agreement is ratificed. It is time, after all, for everyone to take the next step.
For years, the Detroit Public Schools have lagged behind the rest of Michigan in their test scores. In some classrooms, more than 90% of students fail to meet the state's minimium standards for academic performance.
Now that the teacher contract is out of the way, it's time for all parties to come together and find a better way to teach our children.
