50 students were suspended from Frederick Douglass Academy in Detroit, Michigan after leaving class in protest, chanting
"We want education. When do we want it? Now!"The administration had
ignored complaints from students and parents, including a shortage of textbooks, teachers who abuse their sick time (with one being gone for over 68 days), and a lack of consistent instruction.
There have been so many teachers absent that students have had to have class in the gym, and many have gone without homework for long amounts of time.
The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress scored Detroit dead last. The US Secretary of Education said Detroit is "ground zero" for education reform. The school district is deep in debt.
On the first day of the 2011-2012 school year, the attendance rate was 55%.
The recent protests show that it is high time for Detroit Public Schools to commit to education reform in its district. Tell DPS that Detroit must invest in its students' future!
Please invest in education reform -- education is the future. It is crucial that Detroit focuses on education, as it has been called "ground zero" for education reform, and Detroit was last when rated by the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
The recent protest coming from Frederick Douglass Academy in Detroit shows how desperate these students are for a good education. All students deserve a good education and it is time to bring that to Detroit.
