Whitmer calls on schools to go back to in-person instruction
Talking with Stephen Henderson on Detroit Today, Whitmer makes clear that she wants schools in districts including Detroit and Flint to get kids back into the classroom.
Gov. Whitmer speaks at a Tampon Tax press conference Nov. 4, 2021.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says it’s time for school districts that are now virtual to get kids back in classrooms.
98% of our districts in Michigan are in person right now. We’ve got some big ones that are not. I want to work with those districts to help support them so that they can get kids back in school.” —Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
The governor addressed the issue of remote learning in her State of the State speech Wednesday night, saying “I want to be crystal clear. Students belong in school. We know it’s where they learn best,” she said.
But Whitmer clarified that point on Thursday morning after her speech during an appearance on WDET’s Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson.
Listen: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on getting students learning remotely back in classrooms.
“Are you calling on school districts that are using virtual now to end that and bring kids back into the classroom? Is that the message you want to you want to communicate to them?” asked Henderson.
“Yes,” Whitmer responded.
“And part of the message too, is that in two weeks, I’ll be introducing the budget,” she continued. “We’re going to make the largest state investment in public education in the history of our state. And I’m really excited about that. And this is how we give districts the tools they need to lower class size to wrap the kids, the students with support, whether it’s counselors, or it is social workers, to help kids get back on track.”
The governor went on to highlight her reasons for wanting schools to get back to in-person instruction, which the vast majority of districts have done already. Detroit Public Schools Community District shifted to remote learning earlier this month amid the omicron-fueled surge, but is planning to bring back students Monday.
“This disruption of this pandemic has taken a massive toll on their academics on their social skills, on their mental health, etc., as it has on all of us,” she said. “We’ve got to focus on getting them in class and back on track. 98% of our districts in Michigan are in person right now. We’ve got some big ones that are not, I want to work with those districts to help support them so that they can get kids back in school.”
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