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Houston school without AC for two years
Parents in the Sharpstown area are fed up after waiting years for an elementary school to have air conditioning again. FOX 26's Leslie DelasBour spoke to parents who say the AC issues are affecting their children's health.
HOUSTON - Parents at Neff Elementary in southwest Houston say their children are learning in uncomfortable — and at times unsafe — conditions due to ongoing air conditioning problems.
Houston ISD parents upset over air conditioning issues at Neff Elementary
What they're saying:
Families tell FOX 26 that some classrooms inside the Sharpstown-area school are reaching temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees. While certain parts of the campus have working AC, parents say much of the building does not — forcing students and staff to adjust daily.
According to parents and PTO leaders, the issue has persisted for nearly two years, but has worsened in recent months.
Some classrooms are now being combined, so students can move into cooler spaces, leading to larger class sizes for the remainder of the school year.
Parents say temporary fixes — like opening windows and using portable AC units — are not solving the problem. In some cases, they say those units are blowing warm air, while open windows are leading to mosquito bites.
Marcelo Carbonero, a concerned parent, said teachers are doing everything they can, but more needs to be done at the district level. He said his child has told him it feels cooler outside during recess than inside the classroom.
Mayra Ramirez said her child suffers from eczema and that the heat is making flare-ups worse. She added that parents want to see district resources go toward fixing the issue.
Neff Elementary PTO President Atjima Rungrueang said the AC has been inconsistent for about two years, with this school year — especially the last few months — being the worst. She said some students are struggling to concentrate and are being moved between classrooms to find relief.
PTO Vice President Dalia Diaz said her daughter is also having difficulty focusing because of the heat.
Houston ISD statement
"HISD is committed to providing safe, comfortable, and productive learning environments for all students and staff. Many of our campuses have aging HVAC systems that require frequent attention, and our teams actively monitor conditions and address HVAC issues as they arise.
Our HVAC technicians work diligently to make immediate repairs, and emergency vendors are dispatched when needed. Spot coolers are also deployed as necessary to stabilize temperatures.
The facilities and maintenance teams are a vital part of our operations, and they continue to work very hard to maintain and get ahead of HVAC issues and respond as they emerge. HISD remains focused on both immediate fixes and long-term solutions to ensure all classrooms remain comfortable throughout the school year."
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Leslie DelasBour spoke with parents and received a statement from Houston ISD