MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Parents weren’t pleased Thursday about having to pick up their kids a second day because of cold classrooms at White Station High.
But that wasn’t the only school in the Memphis area that seems to be having a hard time keeping students warm. Classes were cancelled at Sheffield High, Winchester Elementary, Kirby Middle, Westwood High, Georgian Hills Achievement Elementary and Frayser Corning Achievement Elementary.
“I don’t understand why they let them come in the first place, if they were just going to let them go early again today,” White Station parent Toya Rockamore said, after the school sent students home at 11:30 Thursday because of heating issues.
“This is the second day and they sent a text today to say it was unexpected, but they knew yesterday it was broken, so I don’t know what was unexpected,” she said.
Rockamore says the district needs to fix the problem or cancel class, but don’t waste her time driving to school to pick up her son.
“I would hate to have to leave work a third day in a row to try to come rescue him.”
And there are even more parents and grandparents who are feeling this mother’s pain.
Corey Malone braved the cold just to grab his 11th-grade son, and Diane Galvin got a rescue call from her granddaughter, too.
Parents are feeling the inconvenience, but they’re glad they can keep their children from shivering especially after hearing the desperate measures students
are willing to take.
One parent was told a girl was trying to plug up an electric blanket in class, but a teacher wouldn’t let her.
Because of the cold, some schools are bending some rules, like allowing students to wear any color coat, despite dress code restrictions — but things like space heaters and heated blankets still aren’t allowed.
WREG is waiting to hear from Shelby County Schools on whether the problems have been fixed, and whether the affected schools will be open Friday.
