MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tuesday was the second first day of school for Cummings K-8 despite classes being in session for a week.
Controlled chaos was outside of LaRose Elementary School Tuesday as buses were unloading some students while parents were dropping off other students. Cummings Elementary students were forced out of their school when part of the ceiling fell in.
One parent, Lemond Jackson, said he was not notified of the incident until nearly an hour later. From that moment, parents began demanding answers.
“I didn’t get the text until 1:40,” he said. “That kind of frustrated me because you don’t know who to call or who to communicate with.”
The frustration was mounting as were the questions.
“At 3:00, I don’t even know if I pick her up on this side or on some street called Willoughby,” Jackson said. “I don’t even know where that is.”
He wasn’t alone as the passion from parents was on full display.
“When we send our children to school, we think they are going to be safe and protected,” Patricia Muhammad said. “There’s so much going on. With the shooting last year and the roof falling in this year, it’s not the teachers. It’s just the foundation of the school.”
WREG spoke with parents who were frustrated, but they also said the most important thing is that their children is returning to a structurally sound school. An MSCS spokesperson said they have officials inspecting Cummings Elementary.
“We have teams on the ground at Cummings inspecting the entire building from every nail, every pillar to every block of concrete,” Cathryn Stout said.
District leaders said Cummings students could be at LaRose Elementary for at least the remainder of the week.
