It was reported last week that there was no heat in Durfee Elementary-Middle School in Detroit, MI. Students were released early on Wednesday, November 12. Classroom temperatures had reached lows of 53 degrees and students were sent home early.
The problem was determined to be a broken steam line between Durfee and Central High School, where the boiler that services both buildings is located, although Detroit Public Schools also stated that Durfee had been without power in parts of the building for the week preceding the heating failure.?Claiming to be making repairs, DPS stated that the school should be reopened on Thursday (Nov. 13) for regular classes.
The school re-opened Thursday, but the heat still wasn’t working. Several space heaters were brought in to attempt to warm the building, but the extra draw on the electrical system was creating problems and causing circuit breakers to trip, causing power outages to the classrooms.
According to anonymous sources, an announcement was made over the public address system instructing staff, students, and parents not to discuss the situation with the press that was outside the building. The portable heaters remained in place until after the local news team departed the area, then at least half the heaters were moved to another school that also had no heat (reported to be King, JR Academic and Performing Arts Academy). One source stated that the temperature in one of the classrooms was 43 degrees in the morning and got no higher than 59 degrees for several days. Children are bundled in coats, mittens, hats, and scarves sitting in classrooms that shouldn’t be open.
We have also received unverified reports of additional heating issues in two other Detroit schools ?Pershing High School, a part of Michigan’s controversial Education Achievement Authority, and Noble Elementary-Middle School.
This video, supplied by Go Left America, is a citizen generated report of the deplorable conditions in Detroit schools under the management and total control of Governor Snyder’s appointed Emergency Manager, Jack Martin.
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