DETROIT – Nearly a dozen protesters were arrested for blocking school buses from picking up children for summer school classes on Thursday in Detroit.
Protesters were blocking buses at a yard in the 12600 block of Westwood Street near Evergreen Road and I-96 on the city’s west side. The arrests come on the fourth consecutive day of such protests.
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A total of 11 out of 20 protesters were arrested in front of ABC Student Transportation. All this following an attempt to block driver from busing children to school in the midst of the pandemic.
“There are teachers. I’m a substitute teacher. There are student’s here. There are parents here,” said Kate Stendig.
Stendig was taken into custody. She said she’s ultimately standing up for children going to school despite the uptick in coronavirus numbers. She said the children are victims of racial injustice.
More: First day of in-person summer school in Detroit interrupted by protesters concerned about virus
Arrests were made because ABC Student Transportation is a privately owned company servicing about 60 percent of the district, along with the streets being private property. Everyone in custody has been charged with disorderly conduct.
One woman will possibly be facing an additional charge of assault on an officer after a scuffle.
In-person summer school is being offered at 25 facilities.
The protesters said even though the summer schooling is optional for students, and is staffed by volunteer teachers, they do not believe it should be offered at all amid the coronavirus pandemic.
After the arrests, school buses were able to leave the bus garage to go pick up kids for summer school.