Parents at Neff Elementary say AC issues continue and causing students to get sick

HOUSTON - Parents at Neff Elementary in Sharpstown are speaking out again, raising concerns about ongoing air conditioning issues they say are making classrooms unbearable.

Several parents tell FOX 26 that temperatures inside the school feel nearly identical to the heat outside. Some say the conditions became so intense, students had to leave early and in some cases, were feeling sick.

The backstory:

This comes just over a month after FOX 26 first reported similar HVAC concerns at the campus.

The school’s PTO President, Atjima Young, says she noticed the heat immediately when she arrived on campus Monday morning, especially on the upper floors. She says some second grade students were not even in their classrooms, and her own child’s classroom was also hot.

Young sent a message to other PTO parents, warning them about the conditions. She came to pull her child out of school, "I am not going to let my kid suffer," Young said. 

One parent, Fabiola Vasquez, says she went to pick up her child early—but knows many other parents couldn’t leave work. She says that due to the heat, kids are getting moved around to other classrooms and sometimes 18 to 24 students sitting in uncomfortable conditions in one classroom for hours.

Vasquez believes the issue goes beyond short-term fixes and says the entire HVAC system needs to be replaced.

Another parent, who did not want to be identified, says her child has been coming home for weeks with headaches after spending the day in the heat.

While some families were able to pick up their children early, others say they had no choice but to leave them at school despite the conditions.

The other side:

HISD STATEMENT 
"Student and staff safety remains our top priority, and district and campus teams are actively monitoring conditions and relocating students to cooler areas as needed. Indoor temperatures are being monitored hourly across the building, and adjustments are made in real time. Reports of temperatures reaching 90 degrees are not supported by our recorded data. Temporary rental cooling units are in place while we work urgently with emergency vendors to restore full cooling capacity. Students and staff are relocated to cooler classrooms while repairs are made to restore cooling. A long-term solution to replace the existing HVAC system is also under review to fully resolve the issue."