January 7, 2022
Detroit Schools are Heading in a Dangerous Direction Under Superintendent Nikolai Vitti
Lansing, Mich., January 6, 2022 – If Detroit schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti gets his way, unvaccinated children will be kept out of classrooms next fall. While Vitti intensifies his crusade against parental choice, he has failed to keep Detroit students inside of classrooms. Parents were already concerned with the course material Vitti has been pushing in Detroit schools; now, the superintendent is hijacking their right to make health decisions for their children. The Daily Caller reports:
“Superintendent Nikolai Vitti joined local Detroit radio station WJR 760 to discuss the district’s shutdown. Vitti floated a vaccine mandate for students as a solution to the Omicron variant, though some studies found the Omicron variant has the ability to evade immunity from vaccines and natural infection more than previous strains.”
A vaccine mandate for students in Detroit would strip parents of their rights to make healthcare decisions for their young children while creating an unnecessary distraction for families simply looking to return to normal. Vitti’s attacks on parents and students are a case of misplaced priorities and an indictment of his poor leadership. As Vitti makes threats, the 49,000 students in Detroit schools “attend” school virtually.
“Vitti should be coming up with solutions to get students back into classrooms, not spinning up ways to keep them out,” said Eric Ventimiglia, Executive Director for Michigan Rising Action. Ventimiglia continued, “It is time for Detroit’s school board to step up and hold Vitti accountable for prioritizing his personal politics over parental rights and the quality of Detroit students’ education.”