HISD mother raises concerns after water line break impacts Highland Heights Elementary School

HOUSTON - A Houston ISD mother is raising concerns after a water line break at Highland Heights Elementary School disrupted campus operations Wednesday, with reports of limited restroom access and concerns about air conditioning.

Mother raises concerns over school conditions

What they're saying:

Tranecia Handy Jackson tells FOX 26 Houston she received a notification from her children's school Wednesday morning informing families about a water line break that could also affect the building's cooling system.

According to the initial notification, school officials were working with city officials to address the issue while making adjustments to keep students and staff comfortable. The school remained open despite the disruption.

Officials told families they were providing alternative restroom facilities, handwashing stations, meals and drinking water while repairs were underway.

However, Jackson says the conditions her children described were concerning.

She tells FOX 26 her children reported that the school's bathrooms were not working, and that students were using bottled water not only for drinking but also to wash their hands.

Jackson also says her daughter had an accident in which she was unable to make it to the restroom and later vomited, prompting Jackson to pick her up from school.

The concerned mother says she wishes school officials had provided more advance notice about the situation or considered closing the campus until the problems were resolved.

She believes keeping students in the building under those conditions raises questions about their comfort, health and access to necessities.

What HISD told families

The other side:

In its initial notification, school officials acknowledged the water line break and warned families that the issue could also affect the school's air conditioning while repairs were underway.

The message stated that the campus would remain open and that staff would continue monitoring indoor conditions and outdoor temperatures to determine whether additional adjustments were necessary.

FOX 26 reached out to Houston ISD seeking clarification about the conditions inside the building, including access to working restrooms, the status of the air conditioning system and the decision to keep students on campus.

In a later message to families, school officials announced that water service had been fully restored.

"We are pleased to share that water service has been fully restored to our campus, and all school operations have returned to normal following today's unforeseen HVAC-related water issue," the message stated.

School officials also emphasized that student safety and continued learning remained priorities throughout the disruption.

"Throughout this situation, our top priority remained the safety, well-being, and continued learning of our students," the statement continued.

The school confirmed that Wednesday's dismissal would proceed as scheduled and that classes would resume normally Thursday, with no anticipated changes to the regular schedule.

However, the update did not specifically address Jackson's allegations about restroom access, her daughter's experience or the conditions students faced earlier in the day.

Parents question decision to keep school open

Big picture view:

While school officials say operations have returned to normal, Jackson believes the situation could have been handled differently.

She says parents should have been given more information about the disruption and the conditions their children could face during the school day.

For Jackson, the experience raises broader concerns about how schools communicate with families and make decisions about keeping campuses open when essential services are disrupted.