“You looked up and it was just black,” said Jeanette Fierro. The mother of two joined the Ector County ISD Bond Committee to take an active role in helping the district grow bigger and better.
As part of that work, Fierro joined fellow bond committee members as they toured schools to see what’s working and what’s not.
Inside Travis Elementary School they got a first-hand look at priority problems like mold on the ceiling of the cafeteria stage.
“This is where kids are having rehearsals, this is where they’re having their recitals. Kids are there!” said Fierro.
Ceiling leaks are apparent across the school – where custodians even report to work on the weekend to clean up after a heavy rain.
Over at Bonham Middle School, an entire bathroom is out of service because of a large ceiling hole.
Cracks line the auditorium walls and in the library, more ceiling leaks are causing serious issues.
“All of these offices and rooms back here are just molding and rotting,” said Bonham Asst. Principal Ardrayda Jeffery.
The HVAC system at Bonham is so dysfunctional that some classrooms will stay at 85 degrees while others chill down to 65 degrees in the same hallway.
“Our biggest issue is when we have kids testing, they just cannot test, they are dripping with sweat,” said Jeffery.
And the lack of airflow in the choir room forces teachers to make tough decisions.
“During the hotter seasons, they will have to cancel practices early because it’s too hot for the kids to be in here,” she said.
Condensation issues across Bonham plague the HVAC system forcing maintenance crews to simple leave holes where ceiling tiles should be.
“I don’t think they even replace them anymore, because it’s always, always wet. It’s always pouring down,” explained Jeffery.
For Fierro the tour was eye-opening she said, “Walking around and seeing these sinks falling apart, they can’t even wash their freaking hands.”
The ECISD Bond package she helped craft, will not just patch, but fix these major issues.
“Our kids deserve this,” said Fierro.
She is urging every Ector County voter to pass propositions A, B and C to get rid of the mold, to replace outdated HVAC, to create clean, sanitary and comfortable buildings.
Buildings where we send our students to become our future.
“Education is the foundation for all society. Period,” said Fierro.
By Shelley Childers