Students for an Ethical and Participatory Education and the coalition of people against the Education Achievement Authority of Michigan organized a sit down protest in President Susan Martin’s office this week.
“We will continue to sit in the rest of the semester,” said Josiah Seng, an EMU student and member of SEPE and the coalition of people against the EAA. “There will be plans for the summer semester.”
Eastern Michigan University’s interlocal agreement with the EAA and Detroit Public Schools has been embroiled in controversy since October 2013 when six teachers unions in Washtenaw County began boycotting EMU student teachers. The teachers unions refuse to end the boycott until EMU withdraws from the interlocal agreement with the EAA.
The EAA assumes control of the lowest five percent of performing schools in the state of Michigan. At this time, all EAA-controlled schools are in the Detroit Public Schools system.
SEPE and the coalition of people against the EAA have made it clear they will not rest until EMU withdraws from the interlocal agreement with the EAA.
“We will not be silenced, we will not go away,” Dave Chapman, a member of SEPE and the coalition of people against the EAA and a student at EMU, said at the Board of Regents meeting in March.
Samir Webster, an EMU student and member of SEPE and the coalition of people against the EAA said the sit in on this week was a product of the student solidarity in their campaign.
“Students supporting each other can happen in small and large ways,” Webster said.
News Editor Curt Allain contributed to this story.
