HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — After a day and a half of cold classrooms, Lanier Middle School student Allen Eagens had enough and called his grandma.
“It was cold, like very chilly,” Eagens said.
His grandma, Chiqita St. Cyr, went to her car and drove the 20 minutes to pick him up.
“The kids coming to school in the cold and stuff like that with no heat and no water. It don’t make no sense, you know what I’m saying?” St. Cyr said.
On Wednesday, HISD Superintendent Mike Miles said heating and water issues could be attributed to former administrations neglecting building upkeep.
“Even with an infrastructure that we have not invested in, in over a decade, even with all the challenges of that, principals, maintenance workers, teachers, all did what they had to do to educate kids today,” Miles said.
HISD how it plans to end the cycle of delaying building renovations, but they did not answer that question. Officials did say some buildings continued to have heat issues but that portable heaters had been delivered and parts had been ordered to fix ongoing issues.
“It’s very old infrastructure. This district has kicked the can down the road for far too long. So, of course, there are going to be some issues, but that didn’t prevent us as a district from being essential,” Miles said.
“I’m mad. The superintendent needs to be doing a better job than he’s doing,” St. Cyr said.
St. Cyr said she plans to drop her grandson off at school on Friday, but she’ll be waiting by her phone in case it’s cold for a third day.
“We’re gonna try it again tomorrow, and I’m going to tell him the same thing. If it’s not working call,” St. Cry said.
