Educators Say Whitmer’s Decision to Keep Schools Closed is Complicated, but Correct

Leaders from the Tri-County Alliance for Public Education (TCA) today said that Governor Whitmer’s decision to order school buildings to remain closed for the remainder of the school year will be challenging for students and educators, but is ultimately the right decision for the health and safety of Michigan’s students.

“Keeping kids out of crowded classrooms during this pandemic keeps them safe, and, while that decision creates significant challenges for us as educators, it’s unquestionably the right thing to do. We appreciate and support the Governor in making this difficult decision,” said Kenneth Gutman, Superintendent of Walled Lake Schools. “Educators have already stepped up to provide essential academic and emotional support to our students and our focus will remain on helping them through this ongoing crisis and successfully welcoming them back to their classrooms in the Fall.”

Educators said that the guidance Governor Whitmer provided with her order today to suspend various testing and reporting requirements along with ensuring districts have the flexibility to deliver at-home learning programs will give schools the path forward they need to deliver every academic and support opportunity available to them.

TCA has been seeking much of this guidance from the Michigan Department of Education since before the Governor’s original school closure order.

“We appreciate Governor Whitmer providing schools with the necessary guidance that will help us give our students every opportunity possible to continue learning and growing during this unprecedented disruption in their lives,” said Eve Kaltz, TCA Vice-President and Superintendent of Center Line Schools. “As difficult a challenge as this will be for educators, it’s going to be an even bigger challenge for our students and the Governor’s action today best helps us to provide them the certainty they both need and deserve.”