Local leaders push for answers after HVAC issues at MSCS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cooler Mid-South weather is not enough to make some Memphis Shelby County Schools parents and students forget about a return to hot school buildings.

All this week MSCS faced HVAC problems at about a dozen schools, causing early dismissals and not a lot of answers from the district.

Some MSCS parents and Shelby County Commissioners say they would give the district not the best grades for its handling of the air-conditioning issues.

“Just get the problem fixed. You want them [students] here. They need to be able to be here and letting them out early they’re not learning anything,” said Ajalah, a Trezevant High School Parent.

Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell, who represents the Raleigh area, witnessed why parents are frustrated.

“Me and Commissioner Love [Stephanie Love, MSCS school board member] were at a number of our schools on the first day of school and we sat at Trezevant High School while parents walked up almost crying because they had to turn around and come back and get their children and say I got to be at work,” Caswell said.

Caswell says parents, students, and staff in hot schools deserve better and MSCS needs to be more transparent.

“The second poorest zip codes, they can’t go to work because air conditioning is not working in their children’s school. So, the need is so we can address just those basic things,” Caswell said.

WREG was told missing parts and copper were stolen at Trezevant apparently causing some HVAC issues, along with aging infrastructure. But what about problems at the other schools and why didn’t anyone know about them before school started?

“The superintendent did text us Sunday night to tell us what schools were going to be affected, Sunday night. We have to do a better job of asking the tough questions,” said Stephanie Love, MSCS school board member.

Love says she has some questions for MSCS superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins.

“I’m hoping she provides me a list of the schools that were ready on day one and what all entailed the air conditioning units breaking,” Love said.

Once again, WREG did reach out to MSCS on Friday but didn’t get a response. Thursday the district did email us saying, its “facilities team is diligently resolving issues with noticeable improvements.”

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