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Teachers Union: District Barred Inspectors From Detroit Schools

DETROIT (WWJ) - The Detroit teachers union is taking legal action in an effort to clean-up what they say are dirty and dangerous conditions in schools.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers has filed an emergency motion in Third Circuit Court asking a judge to allow "nationally recognized industrial hygienists" into nine of the city's schools to investigate any possible health problems.

DFT attorney Bob Fetter says the inspectors, who came from New York City, Washington, D.C., and Connecticut at the union's request, are experts trained to look at things like lead paint and mold.

The union also wants them to check for any possible symptoms in students.

"Approximately 40 percent of them suffer from some sort of respiratory illness as it is," he said, "in which any type of mold — not just a toxic mold — any type of mold spores in the air are going to exacerbate the situations with the illness as it is."

[Detroit Teachers Sue District Over 'Deplorable' Conditions]

Fetter said last week the inspectors checked out Osborne High School and found a host of problems including mold, a leaky roof and bullet holes in windows. But now, he said, the district is denying the inspectors access to any more school buildings.

He said the inspectors are intended to help the union work collaboratively with DPS to come up with solutions to address the problems.

"It would be like the city of Flint turning away some of the top water quality experts in the country to help with their situation," Fetter said.

After rolling teacher sick-outs forced dozens of schools to close on various days, Detroit officials promised the district would work to address building maintenance issues, including those cited in recent city inspections and a lawsuit by the DFT.

The union's administrator, Ann Mitchell, says the school need a closer look by these experts.

"The mayor's office, of course, they're looking at the structural issues. Those are huge and important, too, but the structural issues lead to health conditions," DFT administrator Ann Mitchell said. "...These people are experts in the health, so we just want to build upon what he's already done."

The DFT says that because they are not being allowed in the schools, the inspectors planned to meet with school employees outside of schools Wednesday and Thursday and have them fill out surveys about the problems they have witnessed.

Talking to the Detroit Free Press, a spokeswoman for DPS said the union did not provide it with enough advance notice. She also said allowing the inspectors inside could complicate the district's efforts to make building repairs.

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