DPS Holds Teacher Hiring Fair
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Public Schools are looking for teachers -- holding a hiring fair Thursday at Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School.
The district is looking for teachers in all grade levels to replace those who are leaving or retiring. Former teacher Valerie Miller stopped by for an interview. She wants to return to teaching visual arts and she wants to do it in Detroit.
"I'm concerned about children, in general, but because I live in Detroit and my husband and I raised our four sons in Detroit, I see a need for dedicated teachers," says Miller.
And when asked if she's worried about all of the reported issues within the district, Miller replies, "No, because I've taught before, so it's not anything new."
Although there was not a huge turnout for this DPS Teacher Career Fair, it was busy in the auditorium as interviews were being conducted right on the spot. Martin Reed drove in from Grand Rapids to apply.
"I want to teach in Detroit because I'm originally from around here, from the Downriver area, and I just want to come back home and want to help out the community here," says Reed.
Reed wants to teach middle or high school social sciences. And he thinks the district needs more men.
"I think male teachers are a minority here. And more male teachers, like a more male presence, in schools will inspire more male teachers to come through," says Reed.
Meantime, Kevin Ransom applied to teach social studies, full-time. He says he's been a substitute in Detroit for 18 years -- so why doesn't he apply anywhere else?
"I guess because my heart is here, I have children here and my heart is just here in Detroit. I am still employed, working at a charter school. And I'm a Detroiter," says Ransom.
The district says that the need for art, special education and bilingual teachers has reached a critical point. This was the academic year's third and final career fair for teachers; and the district says hundreds of people registered and were interviewed during the events.