Detroit Federation of Teachers

Virtual Citywide Townhall

The DFT participated in the national call to action by hosting a townhall for March 4 Education. The panelists addressed ICE, immigration, and explained our rights. Thank you for making this a success!

AFT President Visits Detroit

AFT President, Randi Weingarten, was recently in Detroit to tour the CTE programs in the district and speak to students. The AFT is making career tech a priority for our students.

IBEW Reads to Students Across the District

March is Reading Month so the IBEW became guest readers in schools across the district. The students enjoyed listening. More will be featured in the March edition of The Detroit Teacher.

President is a Guest Reader

President Wilson-Lumpkins stepped away from her office to be a guest reader with Michelle Liotino, Construction Trades. This pairing took place at Bunche.

All the resources you need on immigration and ICE

Federal immigration actions are rapidly expanding, with deadly consequences. The killings of poet Renee Nicole Good and nurse Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis have brought intense focus on the use of excessive force. An AFT webinar, co-hosted by AFT President Randi Weingarten and AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang on Jan. 28, featured experts on immigration and the law. It highlighted AFT resources and showcased how our locals are showing up to minimize fear and trauma.

Spring 2026 Elections

The DFT Elections Committee has prepared documents for the Spring 2026 Election Cycle. You will find the information here for 2 sets of elections:

delegates election for AFT Michigan and the AFT National Conventions
positions on the Election Committee

The Election Committee presented the information at the January General Membership Meeting.

Planning ahead: AFT Michigan Convention will be Saturday, May 2nd at Huntington Place in Detroit while the AFT National Convention will be held in Washington, D.C. from Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Here are the documents:

All questions about the Spring 2026 Elections can be directed to the DFT Election Committee @ dft231ec@gmail.com.

From Chalkboards to AI: A Teacher’s 65-Year Journey

On her very first day of student teaching at Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook, N.Y., Martha Strever pushed, pulled and pounded on the school’s door, which was locked. No one came. Where was everybody? It was, after all, the first day of school.

It turned out everybody was exactly where they were supposed to be: inside, having entered through the school’s front entrance. Strever had been knocking on a side door. Flustered but undeterred, she not only found her way inside, she also found her life’s calling.

DFT Office Hours for Mid-Winter Break

The DFT Office will close at the end of the day on Friday, February 13th and will remain closed for the next week. The office will reopen on Monday, February 23, 2026.

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND STAFF DURING IMMIGRATION RAIDS

The following resolution was adopted by members at the December General Membership Meeting.

RESOLUTION

TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND STAFF DURING IMMIGRATION RAIDS

December 11, 2025 General Membership Meeting

WHEREAS, four students from Western International High School have been detained in the last two months by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite the fact that all of them have filed formal petitions for asylum.

WHEREAS, the student climate and learning culture at Western and for all immigrant students in DPSCD is now one of fear instead of hope.

WHEREAS, the teachers at Western International are often the first to learn about their students' detainment and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to fight to find their students' quality lawyers and resources to help under a limited time constraint.

WHEREAS, the teacher unions of Chicago and New York City have already made such public statements.

THEREFORE, IT BE RESOLVED that as the Detroit Federation of Teachers Union we make a public statement that

1. Requests our four DPSCD students, Mor, Santiago, Kerly, and Antony be released from ICE custody and returned home immediately.

2. Call on our new mayor elect Mary Sheffield to reiterate that as a welcoming city, Detroit Police Department should not cooperate with ICE and Border Patrol. We have seen this done successfully by the Minneapolis, Chicago and New York City mayors.

THEREFORE, IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED that DFT and DPSCD provide training for all schools on how to help migrant kids and families avoid getting picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at home or in public – going beyond the district’s guidance limited to keeping ICE out of schools.

Condolences to the Family of Dr. Divers

The DFT is sending condolences to the family of Dr. Arthur J. Divers. Dr. Divers had a career in DPS spanning 43 years and was an active member of the DFT. He retired in 2001, having worked at Foch Middle School, Jefferson Intermediate, and Osborn High School. After retirement he remained active in the retirees chapter, having served as vice president and chapter president. In 2010 AFT Michigan recognized his work as an educator, a political and community activist by awarding him the Walter Bergman Human Rights Award. Funeral arrangements have been announced by Swanson Funeral Home and can be found on this link: https://www.swansonfuneralhomes.com/obituary/dr-arthur-divers.