The massive sickout by teachers on Wednesday closed more than 85 of the struggling district's roughly 100 schools.

Steve Conn, former Detroit Federation of Teachers President said in a statement that a meeting was planned for Thursday night to discuss and vote on strike demands, including an end to Emergency Management, no more charters, return EAA schools to DPS, restore democratic rights to the people of Detroit, lower class size, raise teacher pay, provide adequate books and supplies, restore art, music and phys ed in all our schools, and more.

The Detroit school district has filed a lawsuit to try to stop sick-outs by teachers as thousands of students again were forced to stay home. Recently, Snyder has proposed splitting Detroit Public Schools in two, with the new district initially having a state-appointed school board, as a means of coping with the district's crippling financial burdens, in particular growing pension costs. "It would be so much more productive to actually do something to fix Detroit schools rather than file restraining orders against those who expose the miserable conditions". Protesters also called for the resignation of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) on Wednesday.

As has been pointed out numerous times in recent weeks, these are the kinds of conditions that would never, ever be accepted in "certain" communities surrounding Detroit that are not, shall we say, predominantly black and poor. Detroit Public Schools is several hundred million dollars in debt and has been under the administration of emergency manager Darnell Earley for a year.

Obama is scheduled to tour the North American International Auto Show downtown. Detroit students and teachers deserve better.

"This movement has grown, and I think it has grown among the teachers themselves", Mitchell said.

Wesley got help from her mother on Wednesday to watch Myajai, who is in kindergarten, but says more closings may lead her to remove her daughter from Detroit schools.

"Defendants have engaged in strikes, are intending to engage in additional strikes and have been and continue to encourage DPS teachers to engage in unlawful conduct and conduct in violation of lawfully issued directives by their employer", the district argued in the court filing.

Staff members at the closed schools were expected to report to work or take a leave day, the announcement said.