Cold weather problem for students at school without heat

The temperatures have been dipping around the Borderland this week. At one area school, parents are worried about heating problems in the classroom.

An viewer wrote to ABC-7 and said “My kids school Hacienda Heights Elementary (doesn’t) have a working heater in the entire school. I have called the school and central office but they give me the run around. I am concerned since it’s been cold and not only that they don’t even have an electric heater in class to keep them warm at least during the time they get actual heater fixed.”

ABC-7 investigated to find out what’s really going on. Hacienda Heights is in El Paso’s Lower Valley in the Ysleta Independent School District.

According to students and parents, the problems started Wednesday, when the cold weather came into our area.

Some parents like Terry Mendoza were keeping their kids out of school Friday.

“They’ve been very cold in class,” Mendoza said. “They’re just like shivering. Yesterday they’ve been complaining that they’re just cold in class. They don’t have no heat. They only have a small heater, and that doesn’t warm up the class at all.”

The problem, students said, is work being done to the gas line behind the school. But not everyone’s aware of any problems.

All the parents ABC-7 spoke with Friday said that there hasn’t been any notice from the school or district. And many said their kids were complaining about the cold temperatures in the classroom.

ABC-7 contacted district to find out what exactly is going on, and received a statement in response.

According to YISD spokesperson Patricia Ayala, “A gas leak was detected late last week at Hacienda Heights Elementary School, and YISD maintenance crews began working immediately to resolve the issue. As a result, the school’s gas was turned off, and portable heaters were brought into the classrooms to keep students warm while repairs were being conducted. In addition, hot lunches were prepared off-site at the neighboring Sageland Elementary School and transported to Hacienda Heights Elementary School for mealtimes.

“Currently, the gas leak has been repaired and we are waiting for Texas Gas Service to give authorization for the gas to be turned back on. We expect the school’s gas and heaters to be operational early (Friday) afternoon.”

The district also said that a note about what’s been going on will be going home with students Friday night.