Catherwood LibraryILR School

Those who follow Detroit union politics have picked up on an anomaly in the speeches of Detroit Federation of Teachers president Keith Johnson. Several months ago, Johnson expressed strong support for the districts emergency financial manager Robert Bobb, academic czar Barbara Byrd-Bennet, and their joint academic plan. However, the academic plan is due to be released to the public today, a few days after Johnson held a union meeting in which he asked members to demand that Gov. Jennifer Grisholm remove Bobb from his state-appointed position. Both Byrd-Bennet and Johnson's own union members have become frustrated with the lack of results the new union contract has put forth. Nevertheless, Byrd-Bennet remains hopeful that she and Johnson can work together to implement the academic plan.