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Inside Detroit summer school classrooms during pandemic

More than 70K coronavirus cases confirmed in Michigan

DETROIT – The wall mounted temperature scanner at the front of Brenda Scott Elementary School on Detroit’s east side is something few probably even thought about, unless they’ve read Ray Bradbury, watched Star Trek, the Jetsons or until COVID-19.

Some $20 million in Federal Cares Act money has been spent thus far in retro-fitting schools in just Personal Protection Equipment alone.

On Monday morning Local 4 received a tour of how things will look in the fall.

Students from seniors to kindergarten must wear masks and that’s part of the instruction. Teachers and adults must have a negative COVID-19 test to enter the building.

Distancing and cleaning regimens are in place. There if visible distancing, but that’s with only a handful of students in class, but based on feedback from parents, so far, Dr. Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District believes as much as 50% of the 50,000 students in this district will not be returning to in person instruction at first when school starts Aug. 31.

And with all of this, Vitti still knows he can’t guarantee he has it right. He can only follow the science and try to outsmart the virus at any potential holes in the fences.

Local 4′s crew had to produce evidence of a COVID-19 test with negative results in order to gain access to the exclusive summer schools tour with Vitti. The city of Detroit offers rapid testing. Results come out within 15 minutes.


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