School & District Management

Detroit Mayor Spots Dead Mouse in School, Calls For Citywide Inspections

By Corey Mitchell — January 14, 2016 1 min read
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A day after Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan saw a dead mouse on the floor of a classroom during a school visit, he has called for a citywide inspection of all public schools.

The inspections are expected to be completed by the April, according to a news release from the city. Staff will be on the lookout for electrical and fire hazards, structural problems, mold, and heating and cooling issues.

When problems are found, the building department will “take appropriate action to make sure that the violations are understood, along with the required repairs and the timeline for completing them,” a release from Duggan’s office indicated.

Protests by teachers upset about building conditions and other issues brought the problems to light. During his school visits, Duggan also saw students wearing coats in classrooms without inadequate heating, the Detroit News reported.

“This effort isn’t about blaming anybody,” Duggan said in the statement. “It’s about making sure that every child and every teacher in Detroit goes to school in a safe and healthy environment.”

Mired in debt, the district has been unable to complete even minor repairs in many of its schools. But school officials said they strive to inspect boilers and elevators in each school annually.

Detroit schools Emergency Manager Darnell Earley said in a statement that the district “welcomes any additional resources ... that the city of Detroit can help us to identify to assist the district in addressing its building capital and maintenance needs.”

Photo Credit: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, center, talks with school officials officials about the conditions at Fisher Magnet Lower Academy during a visit to the school on Tuesday.

--Jose Juarez/Detroit News/AP

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A version of this news article first appeared in the District Dossier blog.