Seniors at Detroit's Frederick Douglass Academy Walk Out in Protest

They're high school seniors.  They're about to graduate, but they say they're not learning because of what's happening inside of a Detroit school.

Close to 50 seniors walked out of class Thursday morning at the Frederick Douglass Academy.

"We have no teachers and we are not learning anything," said Davante Billups. "We need more teachers and books."

"It's been going on for awhile now. We [are] just finally getting everybody to get together, protest and do something about this," said Alex Cooper.

The students and parents are concerned about teacher shortages, the reassignment of a principal and a lack of answers from Detroit Public Schools.

"Most of our administration has left. We're getting new administration, new counselors every day," Cooper explained.

"I want the kids [that are] under me, I want them to be able to have the education that we were supposed to have that we didn't get," Billups remarked.

School board members and parents at the all-boys school say the education of their children is being compromised.

"The math teacher has been absent 68 plus days," said parent Sharise Smith. "It's a shame that these young men are at school every single day. They're showing up and the teachers are not, and the education is lacking greatly in the school. It's a travesty."

"The kids will tell you that they are not getting what they are entitled to, and the community needs to stand up, show up, show out and let DPS [know] that this substandard education is not going to be allowed," she added.

A spokesperson with Detroit Public Schools did not respond to our request for comment.

"They're pushing smoke up parents' butts, and the parents better get the hell up and do something different," Smith said.

Seniors at Detroit's Frederick Douglass Academy Walk Out in Protest (Forward video to 1:22)

Source:myFoxdetroit.com