Edsource: West Contra Costa Temporarily Closes Elementary School Amid Lawsuit Alleging Poor Building Conditions

EdSource

An elementary school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District will be closing this summer for repairs after "environmental hazards" were found, according to a message Superintendent Chris Hurst sent families Tuesday evening.

Students and staff at Stege Elementary will be relocated this upcoming school year, Hurst said, to ensure safety and for the rebuild to start earlier than planned. It's unknown where students and teachers will be relocated.

"WCCUSD will implement a contingency plan until Stege students and staff are able to return to their newly remodeled campus," Hurst said. "We will provide more updates as we continue to solidify the particulars of the contingency plan."

The closure of Stege Elementary comes days after the district was sued for failing to address and remedy 45 complaints of poor building conditions at the school. The lawsuit, filed late Friday, alleges the school has moldy walls, broken tiles, and classrooms exceeding 90 degrees with windows that won't open.

Stege Elementary, which mostly serves students of color, has been battling teacher vacancies, dwindling enrollment, and a long-awaited renovation for nearly five years. The building was slated to be remodeled by the 2020-21 school year but there have been delays.

The lawsuit also alleges West Contra Costa failed to fill teacher vacancies at three schools, including Stege, after complaints were filed in January.

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