In recent weeks several Michigan school districts have suddenly closed their doors to in-class schooling, or announced “remote learning only” on specified days, blaming COVID. Here are several:

Newaygo Public Schools announced on its website on Tuesday, Nov. 9 that classrooms would be closed the following three days, Nov. 10, 11 and 12. The district acknowledged this would cause hardships for some families and blamed staff illnesses, a shortage of substitute teachers and other issues it said were beyond its control.

In an email, Superintendent Jeff Wright said the district plans to count those missed days as snow days for purposes of meeting minimum state requirements for the number of school days each year. Wright added that fewer than 75% of students attended school on Nov. 8, which could trigger penalties.

On its website, the district said that remote-only learning was not an option for the week: “Due to the state requirements for virtual instruction, our district does not have the connectivity, parental consent documentation, or ability to transition back and forth from in person to virtual learning.”

Southfield Public Schools announced in an Oct. 31 letter to parents that schools would be closed on Fridays between Nov. 5 and Feb. 4, 2022. The letter claimed the move would help the district deal with the challenges of enhanced COVID-related cleaning and staff shortages.

When asked to comment, Jennifer Martin-Green, superintendent of Southfield Public Schools, replied in an email. “Southfield is providing a full day of remote, synchronous, direct teacher instruction on each Friday outlined in our letter to the community. This type of instruction is allowable under 5OA of the pupil accounting manual. Utilizing this framework, the district is able to meet the seat-time and days and hours requirements.”

Ypsilanti Community Schools informed parents in a Nov. 8 letter that schools would be closed for all of Thanksgiving week. The district calendar had previously included classes on Monday and Tuesday of that week, Nov. 22 and 23.

Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross claimed the closure was directed at giving more time off to school employees. Staff shortages, she wrote, “resulted in our amazing YCS staff experiencing an unprecedented level of fatigue.”

She added the district would also use those two days for “deep cleaning,” which will continue during the winter break. Zachery-Ross told parents that most students have internet access, and the district “will provide our students with the tools they need to do independent work during those two days.”

It is not clear whether the district plans to count those days as instructional days or snow days. Zachery-Ross did not return an email request for comment.

Ann Arbor Public Schools also closed schools for all of Thanksgiving week, blaming more COVID cases and staffing shortages. The district also reported pay raises aimed at attracting more substitute teachers.

When asked to comment on the requirements for state funding, Andrew Cluley, director of communications, wrote, “If needed, we will take appropriate steps as necessary to achieve the statutorily-required full school year for our students and staff during this 2021-2022 school year.”

By law, a district must offer 180 days of instruction in a school year to receive state funding. A district may cancel up to six days for circumstances outside its control (colloquially known as “snow days”) and it may petition the state superintendent for permission to cancel three additional days.

On Nov. 22, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission approved a resolution condemning two bills introduced in the state Legislature on critical race theory and related issues in public school curriculums.

One of these is House Bill 5097, which passed the House on Nov. 2 with support from all Republicans who were present. (Two were absent.) In an extremely unusual move, House Democrats abstained from the vote, making the final tally 55 in favor and none against. State Rep. Donna Lasinski, the House Democratic Leader, didn't respond to an email asking why the Dems abstained.

In its resolution on the bill, the commission claimed it would prohibit schools from teaching CRT. But the term “critical race theory” does not appear in this bill. House Bill 5097 does, however, prohibit “the promotion of any form of race or gender stereotyping,” which it defines as the following assertions:

• That all individuals comprising a racial or ethnic group or gender hold a collective quality or belief.

• That individuals act in certain ways or hold certain opinions because of their race or gender.

• That individuals are born racist or sexist by accident of their race or gender.

• That individuals bear collective guilt for historical wrongs committed by their race or gender.

• That cultural norms or practices of a racial or ethnic group or gender are flawed and must be eliminated or changed to conform with those of another racial or ethnic group or gender.

• That racism is inherent in individuals from a particular race or ethnic group or that sexism is inherent in individuals from a particular gender.

• That a racial or ethnic group or gender is in need of deconstruction, elimination, or criticism.

• That the actions of individuals serve as an indictment against the race or gender of those individuals.

According to the commission’s resolution, the House bill (and one in the Michigan Senate), “censors classroom speech and classifies race and gender variables as ‘stereotypes,’” and “promotes censorship and book banning.”

In an article on the commission, the news service MLive said the Michigan Civil Rights Commission’s resolution was a stand for academic freedom. It also said that the legislation “promotes censorship and book banning.”

Bridge Michigan, meanwhile, published a Nov. 5 op-ed by State Rep. Kyra Harris Bolden, who stated that HB 5097 would forbid schools from telling the story of her great-grandfather’s lynching.

But House Bill 5097 does not exclude any specific texts or lessons from the teaching of U.S. history. Only one thing is prohibited, which is “the promotion of any form of race or gender stereotyping,” which the bill explicitly and narrowly defines.