Roosevelt College and Career Academy students continued their protest outside the Gary school Thursday, demanding that conditions improve inside the school.
Student council president Cary Martin, who organized the protest, said some students made an appearance on a local radio show during the morning protest. “Some of the comments stated we shouldn’t be out here,” said Martin on people who called into the program. “Our parents aren’t fighting our battles.”
Martin said the students will be in front of the school at 730 W. 25th Ave. from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday. He said students weren’t interested in the political wrangling over Roosevelt, taken over by the state in 2011. “We’re worried about the heat, the pipes and the mold. That’s all we’re worried about.”
Martin said representatives from the Gary Community School Corp. visited them Thursday and invited students inside the school. “Yes, the building was warm today, but what about the day after that?” said Martin.
Meanwhile, State Board of Education member Eddie Melton, who represents Northwest Indiana, issued a statement saying he’s bothered by the problems at Roosevelt.
“It is the right of every Hoosier student to a quality education in a suitable learning environment. The ongoing situation involving lack of heat and adequate facilities at Roosevelt is extremely troubling. This simply cannot continue,” he said.
Melton said he talked with Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt and learned school would be ready to open next week.
The school’s boiler system suffered numerous breakdowns in the past few years. It’s resulted in burst pipes and flooded classrooms. The school’s band wing has been closed off to students because of the damage.
The school district and EdisonLearning Inc. initially bickered over who was responsible for the boiler maintenance. EdisonLearning, hired by the state to run the school, sued the district and the two sides later brokered a joint maintenance agreement.
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