DETROIT, Mich., Oct. 23, 2020 — On Sept. 30, state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit) submitted a FOIA request to Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) regarding their COVID-19 reporting procedures. Pursuant to Michigan law, the request was acknowledged on Oct. 1 and DPSCD exercised their right to an extension making the new FOIA deadline Oct. 22 but they did not reply. In response, Rep. Gay-Dagnogo issued the following statement:
“When DPSCD announced they were moving forward with in-person learning this fall, I was concerned that the conversations about planning the semester were excluding important voices, namely parents, teachers, and para-pros. After hearing concerns from those frontline education workers, I sent a FOIA request to DPSCD regarding their reporting procedures and they have failed to comply.
“We have a right to know what procedures and protocols are in place to keep our students, teachers and support staff safe while attending in-person school during a global pandemic. Michigan’s numbers are on the rise, and we can’t trust in a plan we haven’t seen and can’t be confident that it is being followed. DPSCD has a duty to prioritize the safety of and be transparent with its community. I implore them to comply with the FOIA and tell us what measures they have taken to ensure safety.”