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Parents of students at one Detroit school say classrooms are without heat

Posted at 6:22 PM, Dec 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-16 18:22:34-05

Parents and teachers have been calling 7 Action News about what they say are deplorable conditions at one Detroit elementary school.

Jasmine McBride says they don't have any heat in the classrooms and no heaters. She brought her 5-year-old son to school this morning, but after one step in the classroom, she took him back home.

Detroit Public Schools says they were made aware of the heating issue at Blackwell Elementary School on Thursday, and said it only affected a few classes. They are working to fix it.

One teacher said her classroom is so cold children are wearing coats, gloves and hats, and they can't even go to the cafeteria.

Ivy Bailey, the Detroit Federation of Teachers president, says there has also been mice feces and urine on tiles that fell Thursday.

As for cold classrooms, a heating coil in the school froze yesterday, but it only affected the computer lab and classes that were not being occupied, adding workers have been trying to fix it all day.

DPS says they are working on the mice issue, which has been significantly reduced, and says all classrooms will have heat on Monday.