(WXYZ) — Students at Southeastern High School are returning to virtual learning this week. The change comes after a burst pipe caused flooding inside the school.
Staff at the school located the flooding when they returned from the holiday break. The school says the damage is extensive.
"Much of their environment is destroyed. Walls, flooring, technology, millions and millions of dollars of damage," Executive Vice President for the Detroit Federation of Teachers Lakia Wilson Lumpkins said.
She is on standby trying to assess teachers' needs and to account for the number of supplies destroyed by the flooding.
"They have a catastrophe on their hands right now," she said.
Southeastern High School is not the only school suffering from pipes gone bad. Roberto Clemente Academy in Southwest Detroit was also working to clean up and repair flooding. They will be closed until Thursday.
Southeastern high is canceling in-person learning indefinitely.
Right now they are assuming that repairs on the historic building will take more than two months. Students switch to online learning on Thursday.
"We understand that this is not desirable," Wilson Lumpkins said.
The staff at Southeastern High School are holding a virtual meeting for parents Monday night. They hope to encourage families after yet another setback.
"This is real school. The expectation is that all students are participating, doing their work, and attending the classes daily while we are virtual."
Wilson Lumpkins who is a former school counselor says it may not be time yet to crack open a book.
"I think we need to deal with the emotions of catastrophe in your classroom, in your school. What does that feel like? You have to deal with the heart first," she said.
